Question

Why can current be established almost instantly even when drift speed is only a few millimetres per second?

Options

• The electric field is set up in the whole circuit almost instantly at light speed

• The drift speed becomes equal to the speed of light

• Collisions stop everywhere in the circuit

• Electrons travel from one end of the wire to the other almost instantly

Answer 1

The electric field is set up throughout the circuit almost instantly at light speed. Electrons everywhere begin drifting at the same time, so current does not wait for electrons to cross the wire.