if you touch a wire and you’re not grounded, you wont get harmed, why?

732 viewsOtherPhysics

I understand why you get harmed if you’re grounded, you’re becoming part of the wire and the electricity is going from you to the earth. what I dont understand is, why the electricity doesnt harm you when youre not touching the ground, isnt it going through you either way? how does it not affect your body?

In: Physics

28 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Electricity always ends up where it started from (technically no but for ELI5 yes) so imagine a race track and the race car is Electricity. It starts at the start line (the power generator) then travels the track (wires) then back to the start line (back to the negative/ground of the generator). If you were standing in the track the car would hit you on its way around back to the finish line (Electricity would shock you). Now imagine a bulldozer rips up a big section of race track. You are standing at the edge of the track looking at a big hole in the ground. The race car can’t continue going around so it comes to a stop, you don’t get run over (you don’t get shocked).

You are viewing 1 out of 28 answers, click here to view all answers.