Why is it safe to touch the electricity-outputting end of our phone and computer chargers with no sort of electric shock on us as opposed to other dangerous electrical outputs?

Question

Exactly as stated in the title. All my life I’ve been able to touch my phone or computer’s electrical charger output (accidentally or for whatever the reason) with no sort of “buzz” or feeling from the electricity going through the output. At least that has always been my experience with it.

Just in case: Don’t intentionally try this of course.

In: 64

Answer 1

It’s all about the voltage and resistance. Electricity flows through an object proportional to the voltage applied, and an opposing force called resistance limits its flow. If you have an object with high resistance, you need a lot of voltage in order for any meaningful amount of electrical current to flow.

The output of your phone or electrical charger is between 5V and 20V. This isn’t enough footage to push through the resistance of your skin to the point that you feel a shock.

However, not all parts of your body have the same resistance. Your tongue, for example, has lower resistance because it’s tissues are saturated with fluids all the time. If you touch a 9V battery to your tongue, you will feel it. Touch the same battery to your finger and you won’t feel a thing. That’s thanks to the difference in resistance between the two.