How has technological progress in lighting impacted the efficiency of light production over time?

Which of the following statements best describes the impact of compact fluorescent bulbs introduced in 1992 on lighting efficiency?

What was the primary measure of progress in lighting technology throughout history?

Which of the following best explains the significance of technological progress in lighting on living standards?

The rate of improvement in lighting efficiency between ancient times and the early 1800s was comparable to the rate of improvement between the early 1800s and the late 20th century.

The efficiency of lighting, measured in output per hour of labor, improved by a factor of approximately nine between ancient times and the early 1800s. In contrast, between the early 1800s and the early 1990s, it improved by a factor of approximately 45,000. What does this comparison primarily illustrate about the nature of technological progress?

An economist observes that for centuries, the efficiency of a particular production process improved by only 1-2% per century. Then, within a single decade, a series of new inventions increased the process's efficiency by 50,000%. Which of the following statements best characterizes the nature of the progress observed?

Analyzing the Pace of Innovation

The history of lighting, with its long period of slow improvement followed by a dramatic acceleration in efficiency, is often used as an example of how technological progress occurs. Which of the following statements presents the most significant critique or limitation of using this specific historical example as a universal model for all types of technological advancement?

Analyzing Progress in Transportation Technology