if i were to construct a big cage made of metal pipes, and put it on my roof and ground it with heavy gauge wire, could i sit underneath it safely? would all the current go to ground?
the cage would be like a lot of pipes in a row, all connected together and grounded. there would be no walls, it would just be a metal pipe roof, if you could imagine. maybe like 20-30 feet high off of my roof.
don't just say no, only answer if you actually know the answer. and if it's not safe, how could i make it safe?
this is just an idea, i probably would never actually do it.
2007-11-05 15:55:48 · 1 answers · asked by Alex 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
From a pure physics and engineering standpoint (i.e. Maxwells equations as we understand and apply them) the answer is; yes, you would be safe.
Unfortunately we still do not fully understand lightning. We have some theories as they pertain to Maxwells equations that give us some understanding, but very strange things have been observed when it comes to lightning, that do not fit well with those theories.
It is possible, however remote, that the lightning might pass through the cage onto your body (for reasons, unknown).
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2007-11-06 05:13:24 · answer #1 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋