Bird Standing On A Live Wire
We often seen bird survive standing on a live wire either on one foot or both feet.
But have you ever wonder:
Why it has not turned out to be a disaster in the making?
Using knowledge from Physics Direct Current Circuits, read on to find out why –
When one of the bird’s leg first come in contact with the live wire, the circuit is an open one.
Hence the bird will not be electrocuted.
Subsequently, both of the bird’s feet would have landed on the live wire.
Due to the fact that both feet are experiencing the same potential (10kV), there will not be any current flow (I = ΔV/R).
Remember, it is the current that kills, not the voltage.
Therefore, the bird can be relatively unscathed despite having performed such a daring act!