We know that the electric lines carry a constant voltage supply across the power lines. Therefore, the potential difference across the claws will be negligible or zero. Thus, the current will not flow through the bird and hence they will not be electrocuted.
Birds are able to sit on electrical power lines because the electrical current essentially ignores the bird's presence and continues to travel through the wire instead of through the bird's body. A bird's body is not a good conductor of electricity.
Electricity, similar to water, flows using the least amount of resistance possible. In electrical power lines, electricity flows along copper wires. Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity in that it allows electricity to flow easily along its surface.
A bird, on the other hand, is made of cells and tissues. These cells and tissues do not provide the electricity in the wire with an easier route to travel than the one it is already on. Because a bird's body is not a good conductor of electricity, the electricity essentially ignores the bird on the wire and continues to travel along the copper wiring to its destination.
In fact, humans would also be able to not be shocked by a power line if we hung suspended from the power line with both of our hands on the line and no other grounding objects around us.
Don't try that at home though since there are exceptions to these rules!
Shocking Situations
While birds on power lines are essentially safe and aren't in true danger, they will not be so lucky if they happen to touch the wire and certain other objects at the same time. If the second object is an electrical grounding wire or a second wire carrying another voltage, the voltage difference causes a current flow through the bird between the two wires.
Electricity travels from a place of high voltage to low voltage, just as water travels from high elevation to low elevation.
A bird, or any living thing, that touches a wire (where electricity is moving from high voltage to low voltage) and also touches a grounded metal object (a place with no voltage) creates a path that allows the electricity to travel through that body and into the place with no voltage. When electricity travels through a body in this fashion, electrocution takes place, and the bird can die.
The level of electrocution will depend on the power line itself, how long the current flows through the body of the bird/animal, and the overall voltage of the power line.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
We know that the electric lines carry a constant voltage supply across the power lines. Therefore, the potential difference across the claws will be negligible or zero. Thus, the current will not flow through the bird and hence they will not be electrocuted.
Answer:
Birds are able to sit on electrical power lines because the electrical current essentially ignores the bird's presence and continues to travel through the wire instead of through the bird's body. A bird's body is not a good conductor of electricity.
Electricity, similar to water, flows using the least amount of resistance possible. In electrical power lines, electricity flows along copper wires. Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity in that it allows electricity to flow easily along its surface.
A bird, on the other hand, is made of cells and tissues. These cells and tissues do not provide the electricity in the wire with an easier route to travel than the one it is already on. Because a bird's body is not a good conductor of electricity, the electricity essentially ignores the bird on the wire and continues to travel along the copper wiring to its destination.
In fact, humans would also be able to not be shocked by a power line if we hung suspended from the power line with both of our hands on the line and no other grounding objects around us.
Don't try that at home though since there are exceptions to these rules!
Shocking Situations
While birds on power lines are essentially safe and aren't in true danger, they will not be so lucky if they happen to touch the wire and certain other objects at the same time. If the second object is an electrical grounding wire or a second wire carrying another voltage, the voltage difference causes a current flow through the bird between the two wires.
Electricity travels from a place of high voltage to low voltage, just as water travels from high elevation to low elevation.
A bird, or any living thing, that touches a wire (where electricity is moving from high voltage to low voltage) and also touches a grounded metal object (a place with no voltage) creates a path that allows the electricity to travel through that body and into the place with no voltage. When electricity travels through a body in this fashion, electrocution takes place, and the bird can die.
The level of electrocution will depend on the power line itself, how long the current flows through the body of the bird/animal, and the overall voltage of the power line.
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