If I touch an electricity source (let’s say a phase wire) with my index finger, and another very conductive material with my little finger, will the current go only through my hand?

Question

Or will it nevertheless go through my body and wreak havoc like it normally would?

I’m not actually planning on conducting (pun intended) this experiment, just wondering whether the electricity could be “guided” through the body in any predictable way.

In: 49

Answer 1

Yes, assuming that there are no other paths (i.e. your feet to ground) the electricity will only travel through your hand. The rest of your body will become *energized* but if no current will flow if there’s nowhere for it to flow to.

This is the reasoning behind the rule about keeping one hand in your pocket when working around electricty, as a shock between your left hand and your right hand puts your heart directly into the pathway between them.

Also, while you specify touching a conductive material, it will only cause a shock if there is an electric pathway through that material. Let’s say you’re standing on dry wood in rubber boots and you touch a 240V wire and a copper pipe that’s sitting on a plastic bucket. Your risk of shock is very low, but both you and the copper pipe will be energized to 240V. If that copper pipe falls and touches the dirt, you’re in for a bad time (Please don’t actually attempt…)