2006-09-13 04:58:54 · 34 answers · asked by Floyd1970 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
they aren't touching anything else, thus aren't creating a circuit.
2006-09-13 05:00:22 · answer #1 · answered by muppet 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The electrical energy in the power lines has to have a path for current to flow before it can do any work or cause injury. Each wire has an electrical potential or voltage potential relative to the other wires and to ground. If the bird were large enough such that his wings could reach out to the other wire or to the ground, current would flow through bird and the bird would be killed.
Another way to look at electricity is to look at a typical lamp cord. There are two wires going into the lamp. The electricity comes out of the wall in wire and goes back into the wall through the other. the switch on the lamp interrupts one of the wires to turn the lamp off. If you have only one wire going to the lamp the light would not come on. So the bird needs to touch two wires at the same time for current to flow.
2006-09-13 05:16:07 · answer #2 · answered by richard Alvarado 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electricity will take the path of least resistance. When a bird is sitting on a wire, it is easier for the electricity to continue through the wire, rather then out the wire, through the bird, and back to the wire. If the bird touches the ground however, then the easiest path is through the bird and to the ground. Zap!
2006-09-13 05:25:56 · answer #3 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are not touching the ground so are not earthed. The electricity travels the quickest way to earth and its easier for it to carry on through the cable. If you touch it with a large pole or kite then the electricity will travel through you to the earth and electricute you
2006-09-13 05:01:27 · answer #4 · answered by dodgygeezer66 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They would have to touch two wires at the same time. I have heard of large birds being electricuted when they spread their wings.
2006-09-13 05:11:29 · answer #5 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been told it's because they only sit on one cable. The current goes up one leg, through the body and down the other leg and back into the wire, this is harmless.
The danger comes when you touch two cables as the current passes from one cable to another. So in theory a person could hang from one cable, aslong as they touched nothing else.
2006-09-13 05:02:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
when the bird is sitting it has its feet only on the wire as a result there is no circuit with different voltages. so no electricution takes place.
2006-09-13 05:04:17 · answer #7 · answered by vidya s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is happening because two legs are very close to each other when a bird sit on a line,and the line is not earthend,so potential difference is zero because two legs are at approximately at same voltage,so current could not pass thorough it,if the wire will be earthend then the bird will shocked and may die.
2006-09-13 05:15:20 · answer #8 · answered by hdr_reza2000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the circuit is not finished as the bird is sat only on one line. if it would touch the second line with the first alltogether, it would get electricuted. i had that in school.
2006-09-13 05:10:05 · answer #9 · answered by Mystique 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do not form a complete circuit. They offer a path of more resistance to the current which "chooses" to pass thru the wire instead. If they sit on two wires at the same time, they fry.
2006-09-13 06:36:28 · answer #10 · answered by Sarab s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
birds don't get electricuted because their is no earth in the cable! even if there was it would be insulated.
2006-09-13 05:06:01 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋