2006-08-31 04:29:08 · 16 answers · asked by aatifmatt 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
They wear little rubber soles
2006-08-31 04:35:49 · answer #1 · answered by paul B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You only get electrocuted if the electricity can pass through you to reach the ground. Electricity is always trying to find a lower potential. Since the bird is sitting on the cable and cannot reach the ground at the same time it cannot get electrocuted.
2006-08-31 04:34:53 · answer #2 · answered by loonyTunes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all the previous are good answers and i cant compete with them, I was gonna say that anyways, the whole completing the circuit thing cos the ground completes the circuit so the electricity flows into the earth through the birds, but that is not the case.
so if a person was hovering and touched water with an open metal water heater in it, then they wouldnt get shocked until their feet touch the grounde...hmm might try it, just need to learn how to hover first...
2006-08-31 04:38:56 · answer #3 · answered by Chunkylover53 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they do not complete a circuit. (i.e. are not grounded).
There's no motivation for the electricity to leave the wire and go into the bird. It would be like wondering why a river flows around a hill, rather than up over it.
2006-08-31 04:34:21 · answer #4 · answered by Morey000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never seen them sitting on high voltage cables between pylons, only on the top wire which is at ground potential. If you have been subjected to high voltage while standing on an insulator and feeling your hair standing up with the charge you will know that with a high voltage you do not have to be grounded to feel the effects.
2006-08-31 06:53:18 · answer #5 · answered by bo nidle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because birds aren't 'grounded' while perching on the wire. The current has nowhere to go.
2006-08-31 04:36:13 · answer #6 · answered by E=MC2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe its because they arent grounded, you must be standing on the ground to complete the electrical current.
2006-08-31 04:42:23 · answer #7 · answered by amnesty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they are not grounded - you could sit on a power cable
but the instant you made a connection with any thing - you would fry -
2006-08-31 04:33:36 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So long as they do not touch the pylon and the wire at the same time they are OK. They are not earthed if they just sit holding the wire.
2006-08-31 04:32:02 · answer #9 · answered by Northernbloke 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because they are not part of an electrical circuit.
2006-08-31 10:06:47 · answer #10 · answered by Spanner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they are not actually in contact with an ''earth'' so there's no circuit created to shock them and it might be a rubber duck
2006-08-31 06:22:01 · answer #11 · answered by danoffset 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋