like through the ground coming up through the roots?
2007-01-12 06:09:29 · 5 answers · asked by Dayne's gal 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
YES, some plant life CAN carry a current. If they are 'open fiber' plants, and have a high water retention value. The voltage and amperage will be low, but it is possible. The question is, why is the current there? Do you have any underground high voltage wires, that may be broken out of their conduit or sheathing?
Example-Tree roots can grow into a burried electrical conduit, exposing the wire. Lightning will use a tree as a conduit to find earth. (I have seen a tree with burns running through it after it was cut down. The lighning went through it and scorched the inside of the tree)
2007-01-12 06:12:37 · answer #1 · answered by FRANKFUSS 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water is a conductor of electricity. Although in minor quantities, all living trees and plants have some water content. You may have heard that you should use wood to make contact with broken electrical lines, etc. This is possible only if the wood has been drying for a very long time. Freshly cut plants and trees still have the water content in them so using them to touch an electrically charged object may cause an electrical shock. As in a previous answer, the electrical charge may be coming from a source that could actually be some distance away. There are a number of electrical sources located under streets, through yards, etc. Perhaps you should contact your local utility company and bring this to their attention.
2007-01-12 14:20:52 · answer #2 · answered by John C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes: thunder. We believe the arc is from the sky down to earth but in reality it is the other way around, electricity flows from the ground up!! So every time a tree is "hit by lightning" it sends tremendous amount of electricity up to the clouds.
2007-01-12 14:24:21 · answer #3 · answered by catarthur 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Electric fences - You have to keep plants clear as they will "short out" the electric zap and render the fence harmless!
Lightning as already noted.
Even utility lines are often zapped by trees etc. thus have to be kept cleared
2007-01-12 16:25:25 · answer #4 · answered by bubsir 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. By nature the tree is grounded and therefore if current was available to the tree it would "flow" down into the earth.
2007-01-12 14:13:24 · answer #5 · answered by clearlyalienboy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋