Why do birds not get shocked or electrocuted when sitting on an electric wire?
Birds do not feel the shock when sitting on wires because the wires do not provide a complete path for current to flow. This is because birds usually touch only one wire with their feet and do not touch the other wire or the ground at the same time. Therefore, a complete circuit that will pass through the bird's body is not completed.
- The potential difference is same in the single live wire until the birds feather touch the another live wire or grounded.
- Electricity always flows through the path of least resistance. If a bird sits on a wire, electricity will flow through the wire, which is a better conductor than the bird's body. Additionally, the bird's feet are dry and do not conduct electricity well. Electric current usually passes through the bird's body using the shortest path and shortest path in this case is live wire .
In which case birds can get Electrical shock ?
- It doesn't matter if its a bird or human being or any other animal. If the potential difference across its body is zero there would be no current flow.
- In this picture we can clearly see the birds feather are touching two live wire , so there will be a potential difference and current will flow through the bird and bird will absolutely get electrocuted. For more understanding purpose we can see the circuit diagram.
- When you are touching a wire (rather hanging) by one hand, the circuit is not even complete, thus no current will flow through the body.
If a man hangs on one live wire with two hands, will he get shocked ?
- Since you’re touching with both hands the same live wire, without touching the ground, there will be no potential difference so there will be no current flow through the body.
- If you touched different phases, you’d have the line-to-line voltage applied across you and current would flow. Or if you touched the ground, you’d have the line-to-neutral voltage applied across you and there will be potential difference current would flow through the person body and he will get shock.
Your explanation of the question is exquisite
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Thankyou 🙏 😊 and sure we will post more such articles stay tuned.
Great work
Nicely explained
Got it
Very good
Thankyou sir everything is clear now
Good explanation