Electric fence

[rthmjohn]

I've always been told that if some one touched somebody else grabbing an electric fence, the former would get the shock. If this is true, why is it so?

[Primarygun]

I think it's because you provide a new path for the current.

If we only put a hand on the wire and leave the whole body in air without touching other things, the current passing through us is from the sharing of charges,right? Or we won't get shocked?

[Spyman]

The electric current needs to pass through Your body, or part of it, thus it must have one place to enter and one to exit.

 

If Your shoes are well isolated You won't feel any shock because the current can't pass through You.

 

If not isolated You will feel the shock, without someone grabbing You.

 

If both are isolated no one will feel a shock.

 

If the one touching the fence is isolated and the one grabbing is not then both will feel a shock.

 

The path of the electric current through the body and personal internal body resistance is what will make the difference. It could as well be the one touching and getting grabbed that would get the most of the shock. But most common is that the "thoucher" is being grabbed close to the place where the current is entering, on the arm or upper body, and thus have a shorter path through his body, while the "grabber" is the one leading the current down to the ground and thus have a longer path, through his hole body, from the hand to the foot/feets.

 

EDIT: A small electric shock http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12306

[Douglas]

It's a series parallel circuit. Assume person 2 touches person 1 on the opposite shoulder, the current flow is as follows.........

1st person...current flow...from the fence through the body to ground

2nd person...current flow...from the fence through #1 hand to shoulder through #2 body to ground.

[427cobra]

If you touch an electric fence while standing on the ground why do you get a shock?? You are completing a circuit so shouldnt the electricity just pass through you?? What does this do to the electrcity in your body???

[mmalluck]

If you touch an electric fence while standing on the ground why do you get a shock?? You are completing a circuit so shouldnt the electricity just pass through you?? What does this do to the electrcity in your body???

 

Current flowing through the body is a bad thing. It manifest itself as the misfiring of nerve impulses causing muscle spasms and pain. At higher voltage and current levels the flesh itself begins to cook. You'll definatly feel that one.