why don't birds get electricuted when they sit on power lines?

Answer 1

because they aren't touching the ground or anything else touching the ground.

Answer 2

This is a great question. The current in power lines flows one way on one strand, and the opposite way on another strand. This is what makes a complete circuit from power station to your house, back to power station. The bird will only fry if he touches both wires at once, or if he touches the ground at the same time. In essence, a bird on a wire becomes part of the wire since the electricity runs through him and back into the wire. A grounding of the flow or a short circuit would be the only way he could get hurt here.

Answer 3

you need a 'circuit' to get electrocuted. when you touch TWO lines - like some squirrels, thats when you hear the BANG and your lights go off.
Or when they cross two points of a transformer.

just landing on one line will not accomplish that

BUT IF THAT LINE HAS FALLEN = S T A Y B A C K
that baby is hot and YOU could go bang
and YOUR lights will go out - permanently

call the power co emergency line N O W

Answer 4

like numerous capability, electrical energy seeks equilibrium, or stability. which ability electrical energy will pass from extreme-capability factors to factors of much less capability, continuously utilizing the path of least resistance. So if the poultry has one foot on our unique twine, and the different foot on, as an occasion, the floor or on a distinctive twine with much less voltage, the poultry could be electrocuted, because of the fact the electrical powered energy could pass in the path of the poultry on its way from the extreme-voltage line to the decrease-voltage line or the floor. yet as long as the two between the poultry's feet are on a similar twine (or wires of a similar voltage), the poultry is risk-free. the present does not have everywhere else to pass, so the electrical powered energy won't pass in the path of the poultry--it continues to be on the path of least resistance, the twine. not from source: Incidently, do not fly kites around wires when you consider which you're able to desire to okay finally end up toast

Answer 5

There is a covering over the power lines so they aren't actually touching the power lines.

Answer 6

the part of the power line that the bird purches on is insulated
power lines from pole to pole are covered in insulation
the connections to the transformer may not be insulated though

Answer 7

All electric voltage is relative. Current will flow only if there is a difference in voltage along a conductive path.

- An electric power engineer

Answer 8

This is because they are only touching one wire. For electrical current to pass through something (being electrocuted) the electricity must have a path to ground.

Answer 9

because they sit on just one line, which means there is no closed circuit involving their body, through which current could pass. if they had one foot on a line and another on a line with a different polarity, then they would get electrocuted

Answer 10

The rubber on the line prevents their electrocution

Answer 11

because there is thick rubber around the wirer well thick enough where it will protect them form being electricuted