1.3 - Electrical Safety Flashcards
What is a short circuit?
- Occurs when current bypasses (travels down a different path) part of a normal circuit.
- Ex. A power line is down and hanging. If a person touches it, the electricity takes an unintended path through the person’s body to the ground (fatal).
Which is more dangerous: high voltage or high amperage?
High voltage and high amperage are both dangerous, but high amperage more so.
What amounts of Amperage can be related to certain results?
- 0.05-0.020 A can cause pain and loss of muscle control
- 0.1 A can be fatal
True or False?
When current can flow easily, there is more less of electric shock.
False. When current can flow easily, there is more risk of electric shock.
- Current flows more easily through conductors (water, wires)
- Current does not flow easily through insulators (wood, rubber, air)
What devices have labels listing the required voltage and maximum current they use?
Plug in devices have labels listing the required voltage and maximum current it uses.
What is the 3rd prong of a 3-prong plug for?
The 3rd prong of a 3-prong plug is a ground wire that connects to the ground wire of a building, in case of a short circuit in the device.
What do fuses do?
- Interrupt a circuit when there is too much current flowing through it
- Fuses contain a thin piece of metal that melts if the current is too high
What do circuit breakers do?
- Interrupt a circuit when there is too much current flowing through it
- Circuit breakers have a wire that heats up when there is too much current. The hot wire triggers a spring mechanism that flips a switch (reusable)
What amount of Amperage can lightning have that is fatal?
Lightning can have 30 000 A (can be fatal)
What point of discharge will lightning seek?
- Lightning seeks a high point to discharge
- Tall buildings have lightning rods on their peaks, which are connected to the ground with a wire.
