Shown on this slide is the pattern across the contacts shortly after the reed switch contacts close. To initiate this action, a voltage is applied to the coil shown at time 0.0. The area highlighted in gray represents the time after the voltage was applied to when the contacts make their first closure. In the case shown it takes about 0.25 ms. The contact bounce is highlighted in blue. In this case the contacts have one bounce, in which the contacts open completely before reclosing.