How fast the electricity travels

How long does it take for Ismael to see the light turn on? Ismael light bulb. Find out the distance between Earth and Mars. The speed of light is , kilometers per second. At the same time Brian is on earth and Janet is on Mars. Janet has a battery; Brian has a light bulb. She connects the wire to the side of the battery. How long does it take before Brian sees the light bulb turn on?

Your question is: Does it take less time for Ismael to see the light, or for Brian to see the light? Therefore it is impossible for Brian to see the light before Ismael. Electricity is NOT faster than Light. What we really mean is that the effects from the electricity occur "instantly. You do not have to wait for electrons to flow from the switch to the light.

Explore Our Programs Learn more about Journalism ». Why Union? Follow and Support Show your love for Bulldog Athletics ». Join in! Union's variety of organizations, events and sports offers something for everyone. Get Involved Find a place to get plugged in ». Theatre Production Join us Nov. Show Search Bar:. The lights turn on very quickly when I flip the switch. Just how fast does electricity flow in a wire? November To answer this question we need to look at matter itself at a most basic level.

The Jackson Sun chose to discontinue monthly articles in and now they only appear as requested. When the free electrons bounce around, they create an electrical charge. The number of electrons that are able to move around in a particular material determines how conductive it is.

Some materials, such as the copper wire inside electrical cords, allow electrons to move around more freely—and, therefore, conduct electricity better. Since electrons are negatively charged, they are propelled in the opposite direction of the positive charge. Soon, the free electron hits a stable atom and bounces off in another direction somewhat randomly.

This is called an electromagnetic force EMF. Electrical currents can be compared to the flow of water in a pipe: the more pressure at one end, the stronger the flow of water or electricity. As stated before, while the speed of the transmission of the electrical current itself is about the speed of light, the actual electrons within that wave might only move along at a few millimeters per second. This is because the electrons themselves are bouncing around the conductor and creating the energy that is released in the wave, but are not necessarily moving along with it.

This means that in the case of an alternating current, where the current changes direction 50 or 60 times per second, most of the electrons never make it out of the wire.

When solar panels generate electricity, they do so with a direct current DC. You could think of a DC current as raw, as it only flows in one direction. Solar panels generate DC due to the nature of their silicon and electronic conductors. Sunlight excites the free electrons in the silicon wafers or thin film components inside solar panels.

This moving of the electrons up to a higher level of energy creates a direct current of electricity—but without a conductor, that energy would just sit there. This is a device known as a solar inverter. There are different kinds of solar inverters; some are located in a central place while others, known as micro-inverters, are small and are a part of the solar panel itself. Either way, the goal of a solar inverter is to change the DC current into an AC current for your home to use.

The wiring and outlets on your house use alternating current AC , which change direction periodically.