eli5 Why is touching a live wire dangerous? Doesn’t electricity take the path of least resistance? Wouldn’t your hand be a much worse conductor than a copper wire?
In: Engineering
Electricity takes all paths. The idea of “least resistance” is objectively incorrect and dangerous.
Think of it this way, take a plastic bottle and punch a few large holes and small holes. Then fill it up with water and watch it leak. Every hole, large or small has a some leakage – more in the larger hole less in the smaller hole. This is how electricity works – electricity takes ALL paths possible. More in the easier path and less on the more difficult part.
If you happen to be on one of the paths, some current will flow through you – and humans don’t need lots of current for it to be dangerous.
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