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Science

stillsoleft

(80 posts) Mon May 1, 2017, 07:52 PM May 2017

I have a question maybe someone can answer re: electric shock [View all]

In this tragic story below about two brothers who were electrocuted in Texas, the article says the boy stepped in a puddle near down power lines. I've read other news stories about people who were electrocuted after stepping into electrified water.

But I've read other places that you can't get electrocuted standing in water unless you are touching something metal or an electric appliance - that the touching the metal will make the electricity pass thru you because now you complete the circuit. Contact with the water alone is not enough to make the the current enter your body.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/fort-worth/2017/03/29/2-electrocuted-downed-power-lines-fort-worth-park

19 replies

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Highlight:

I have a question maybe someone can answer re: electric shock [View all] stillsoleft May 2017 OP

If your foot is in the water on the ground, there will be circuit between the water and the ground greymattermom May 2017 #1

Yep! Right! n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #8

Right, which is one of two reasons you need to wear rubber soled shoes Warpy May 2017 #9

I'm not sure that's true. Lint Head May 2017 #2

Yep, I remember that. Also, being used to make worms come to the surface of the ground for bait. n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #6

Read and study this link below. democratisphere May 2017 #3

Excellent article !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #7

2 feet can complete the circuit, if I recall correctly uppityperson May 2017 #4

Here's an interesting discussion on this. It would likely depend on the source location, RKP5637 May 2017 #5

We were given instructions on how to walk to safety from down power lines. TexasProgresive May 2017 #10

Yes! There are also sometimes lots of surface ground currents from lightening traveling on the RKP5637 May 2017 #12

I worked most of my life in telecommunications. TexasProgresive May 2017 #13

Yep, all good things to know! I think ground currents are the sneakiest things going. One thing I've RKP5637 May 2017 #14

One other thing about ground and grounding. TexasProgresive May 2017 #15

Incredible!!! I bet if you could survey the houses in the US many have very poor grounding. RKP5637 May 2017 #16

Simple terms Step potential duncang May 2017 #11

what would happen if a person slipped in water and landed on their butt stillsoleft May 2017 #17

That would probably be a worse case scenario duncang May 2017 #18

Appendix C to Section 1910.269 -- Protection From Hazardous Differences in Electric Potential mahatmakanejeeves May 2017 #19