I just realized

Most higher grade flashlights are made of aluminum which conducts electricity. If you have a 6V or higher flashlight and the body is used to complete the circuit, why don't we get a shock when it's on?

BT132435 said:

Most higher grade flashlights are made of aluminum which conducts electricity. If you have a 6V or higher flashlight and the body is used to complete the circuit, why don't we get a shock when it's on?

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Because it's not grounded and there is not a complete circuit through your body.

Electricity is going to take the path where there is the least resistance, and that certainly isn't your hand.

Your not in contact with both the positive and negative. That's why birds can perch on live bare power lines and those are thousands of volts (AC though)

Chuck289 said:

Electricity is going to take the path where there is the least resistance, and that certainly isn't your hand.

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Just adding to your statement, electricity will take ALL paths to complete a circuit not just the one with the least resistance though the majority of the current will take the least resistant path.

takes a lot more than 6V to start making significant transfers through dry skin.


[edit in]and the body of most aluminum flashlights has some sort of coating, be it anodizing or somesuch... the result is that it is technically insulated.

wait.... so if i touch one side of a severed wire with current flowing or touch one side of that wire with my left hand and the other with my right... will i get electrocuted?

Also: If i don't get electrocuted because the flashlight isn't grounded, shouldn't i get a shock if i touch the flashlight while it's touching another metal object / the ground?

IT IS NOT A/C CURRENT that makes a big differance

If you lick one post of a nine volt battery are you going to sense anything?

well i've gotten shocked from touching an open wire connected to a 9.6V battery before. It hurt about three times as much as a static shock.

ever held a battery at both ends? did you notice anything?

there's your answer.

Hey all, long time lurker first time poster.

As I understand it, Thomas Edison, supporter of DC current, electrocuted an elephant with AC current to demonstrate how dangerous it was. The elephant was killed.

you need a lot of power to get any kind of power to the heart. the heart can't handle much, but it's hard to even get there. lots of resistance.

To augment the execution, Topsy was fed carrots laced with 460 grams of potassium cyanide before 6,600 volts of alternating current electricity were sent coursing through her body

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Its all about completing the circuit path. With a 6V flashlight, the case of the light will only be connected to one end of the batteries (usually negative). Unless you also make contact with the other end of the batteries then you will not recieve a shock. In this case, touching the ground (earth) will not do anything because the batteries in the flashlight are not referenced or connected to it in any way.

Power lines and your house current are referenced and connected to the ground (earth) so contact with it and a live wire completes the circuit and can kill you.

There is a range of current through the heart that will cause it to fibrillate. This is usually the cause of death in electrocutions. Above and below this range, the heart will not usually fibrillate, but other damage can occur (severe burns, trauma, etc.)

turkdc said:

As I understand it, Thomas Edison, supporter of DC current, electrocuted an elephant with AC current to demonstrate how dangerous it was. The elephant was killed.

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This is true. Edison made sort of a traveling circus of animal electrocutions in order to discourage the adoption of AC. Interestingly, these were the inspiration for the first electric chair.

I think i just need to finish my sophomore year physics class which involves electricity and magnetism :shakehead

BT132435 said:

well i've gotten shocked from touching an open wire connected to a 9.6V battery before. It hurt about three times as much as a static shock.

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That's funny because I can touch both posts of an automotive battery and not feel a thing. Don't ask me to lick one though.

An AA battery can give you a shock using the right transformer. Disposable camera shocker: http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...=25&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

How to make: http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...=25&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7

jbosman1013 said:

IT IS NOT A/C CURRENT that makes a big differance

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Do tell.

:shakehead

mdocod said:

takes a lot more than 6V to start making significant transfers through dry skin.

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+1.

knot said:

If you lick one post of a nine volt battery are you going to sense anything?

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that's the best explanation yet +1!!!

I'm still waiting for someone to get back to us about what licking both terminals of a car battery (at the same time) is like.