Like an immersion water heater or an oven element.
If you touch them you just get burnt not electricuted. (Even if you touch an earth).If it is an open curcuit what regulates the current?
2006-11-01 18:22:10 · 6 answers · asked by David T 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Some heating elements are live, and some are not. Wire heating elements (in some electric kettles) are live, so it is not a good idea to touch them or stick your finger in the water that they are heating! I will describe the other type of heating elements as "tube" type heating elements. This is the type you often find in ovens and in some electric kettles. This type has the live wire running down the centre of a metal tube, however there is an insulator inside the tube between the wire and the outer metal tube. These are safe to touch as long as there is no fault in the element and as long as you don't mind getting burnt!!
The other point to make is that one end of the element is "live" while the other end is "neutral", or very close to "earth" potential. So, for the wire elements, it depends where you touch it as to whether you will be electrocuted.
2006-11-01 18:38:15 · answer #1 · answered by Mez 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't try this at home. It is live.
With something like an immersion heater the heating coil is mounted inside an electrically insulated container. It is a metal container though so as to conduct the heat to the outside. You can sometimes see this where a kettle element has burnt out there is a greeny powder where the element splits open.
2006-11-01 18:28:04 · answer #2 · answered by Tertia 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The other answers have forgotten to mention that the metal tube which contains the 'live' heating element is Earthed.
2006-11-02 03:28:33 · answer #3 · answered by DriverRob 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some are liquid at room temperature (like mercury) some develop into liquid at extra effective temperatures (like iron) some develop into liquid in easy terms at very low temperatures (like oxygen) yet all aspects have a melting element -- which ability all aspects would properly be a liquid under the applicable circumstances.
2016-12-09 01:10:54 · answer #4 · answered by degennaro 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So, you have successfully managed to grab a heating element when its on and you are standing in water ? You superman ?
It is live, the heat is usually just a major deterrent to us simpler humans.
2006-11-01 18:34:12 · answer #5 · answered by kate 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the electric water boiler, your kitchen is a heating element. this doesnot mean tha it is going to kill you ...
and you know why....... due to its huge resistance
the reason why it is a heating element and the fact that the voltage drops dramatically, energy is consumed and transormed on it.
so there is not enough potential difference that will drive a current capable of killing you.
it is very simple.. really.
2006-11-01 19:51:48 · answer #6 · answered by Emmanuel P 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋