Why are birds not electrocuted?

Thread Starter

Ala888

Joined Jun 26, 2014
15
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is it because since my arms are stretched so far apart, the little resistance which is inherent in the wire has actually accumulated over the length to such an extent where it is comparable to that of me?
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
35,170
is it because since my arms are stretched so far apart, the little resistance which is inherent in the wire has actually accumulated over the length to such an extent where it is comparable to that of me?
That's more like it. Except, in your diagram you show one limb on the positive side of the battery and another limb on the negative side of the battery.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
35,170
This is not a realistic schematic. You have drawn a short circuit across the battery.
Instead, you need to remove the short or show a load on the battery.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
35,170
Glad to know that you understand this.

You cannot have 500V source if there is a zero ohm short across the source because the current I = V/R = infinity.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
38,799
why would it electrocute me ?
my limbs, no matter where Im touching, presents an incredibly large resistance as compared
to the little to no resistance wire. Why would electrons want to flow through me instead?
It's not an exclusive-or situation, the electrons can take more than one path. Most of the electrons flow through the wire to wherever they are going but, since there is a large voltage across you body if you are touching ground, some flow through you. This current flow through your body resistance, for any normal power line voltage, will be sufficient that it will likely allow you to be a candidate for the yearly Darwin Award. :rolleyes:
 

BR-549

Joined Sep 22, 2013
4,928
Hello Ala. You need to review what a circuit is and what is required. Remember this...the human body is a bag of salt water. The bag is very thin...your skin. Your body acts like back to back diodes. The conduction voltage depends on the environment. It takes very, very little current to kill you.
 

nojiratz

Joined Dec 30, 2013
1
Quite simply, the bird does not stand between the power source and ground, but you do. All the electric current moves through the wire, completely bypassing the bird, but in order for the current to flow back to the power source, it must also flow through you, electrocuting you in the process if the voltage is high enough.
 

Metalmann

Joined Dec 8, 2012
703
"Why are birds not electrocuted?"





Around these parts, all the birds wear tiny, black, rubber boots.

They say, that they can be ordered directly from Grainger.
 
You have to respect these guys - what a pair of brass ones!

This lineman is riding a HV line that carries 500,000 volts and the lineman is not electrocuted, the same situation as a bird on the wire.



The reason it is not safe for you to touch a HV wire is because your feet on the ground creates a circuit through your body.
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
here in our beloved state of kansas, during a bird flu outbreak, someone called in a bunch of dead birds under some power lines, the state said it wasnt bird fluu, the birds must have touched each other while on one wire, said it happens all the time. I for one dont believe them.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
30,808
the birds must have touched each other while on one wire, said it happens all the time. I for one dont believe them.
What can and does happen is with large flocks of birds, starlings etc, they will often crowd the loop-through point at cross arms, and either individually or collectively provide a path from conductor to cross arm.
Max.
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
also, there is a wire from the top of most poles around here to a plate on the bottom of the pole for lightning protection, a bunch on a corssarm could cause a problem for the birds, but the state while trying to save orny by not killing mosquitoes, was talking about the birds on the wire.
 
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