will it?
2007-04-12 14:57:06 · 5 answers · asked by speedingdownlife 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Yes. Electric utilities spend billions of dollars each year to trim the trees and keep them away from the power lines.
And no, it's not just to keep the branches from physically tearing down the wires. Tree limbs or branches that touch the wires cause faults that can blow a fuse or trip a circuit breaker.
2007-04-12 15:25:53 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to say generally no.
To respond to the potato and lemon comment; it's true that a potato or lemon can "generate" electricity, but it will not conduct it. If you tried to use a potato as a conductor in a circuit it would not work.
The exception is that everything has a certain amount of resistance so at high enough voltages everything will conduct electricity. A tree will conduct lightning but the tree has such a high resistance level that it produces a tremendous amount of heat. This is why trees will look burned or start on fire when struck by lightning. A metal rod on the other hand, commonly used to ground lightning strikes away from buildings would barely get warm because the resistance is so much lower. Lightning rods work because of their lower resistance.
Plants have a very high resistance so no they will not conduct electricity unless the voltage is extremely high.
2007-04-12 15:16:16 · answer #2 · answered by Joecsg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course! Stick a strip of copper metal and a strip of zinc metal into a lemon or a potato. Connect the strips with copper wires to a flashlight bulb through an external circuit. Voila!
2007-04-12 15:09:41 · answer #3 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think so, how many trees get struck by lightening?
2007-04-12 15:00:19 · answer #4 · answered by fleetwind141 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no.... organisms dont condusct electricity
2007-04-12 15:00:48 · answer #5 · answered by Dragon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋