If I put my finger and a 9V battery in a cup of water, what will the result be? Just a shock? Unconsciousness? Death?
I was thinking of trying something like that but don't want to do something like that just for fun if it's dangerous. 9V-testing on the tongue doesn't kill a person, so it shouldn't either on a wet skin, right?
2007-12-31 00:49:37 · 9 answers · asked by XB 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Since glass is an insulator, the only conduction path is from the positive terminal on the battery through the water and back to the negative terminal on the battery. Depending on the conductivity of the water there will be some current flow, but probably not enough to be noticeable. However, I wouldn't try adding salt to the water.
As to your finger being in the glass, there is a conduction path of much higher resistance than just across the battery terminals and that is from the plus side through the water to your finger and back through the water to the negative terminal therefore you should experience no effect, but then why risk it if you don't know for certain. Let Mikey do it.
I often wonder what would happen if you were in a bath tub full of water and your g/f threw a hair dryer in with you that was plugged in and running. Would you be electricuted as they are in the movies or would the circuit breaker/fuse open without you feeling a tingle? Again don't try it. This could have a permanent result depending upon conditions.
2007-12-31 01:53:32 · answer #1 · answered by justforfun_1811 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would not get a shock unless your finger was directly between the terminals of the battery. And the current between the two terminals would be minimal.
BUT, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT YOU DESTROY THE BATTERY BY CAUSING A SHORT (HIGH CURRENT FOR THE BATTERY).
BATTERIES HAVE ACID IN THEM! YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME LEAKAGE FROM THIS EXPERIMENT AND THERE IS A CHANCE THAT YOU COULD BURN YOUR SKIN OR MAYBE YOUR EYES.
2007-12-31 03:47:50 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bubbles of oxygen from the positive terminal and hydrogen from the negative terminal. No effect at all on you. Your skin doesn't even begin to conduct at anything less than 50 volts.
As for the hairdrier-in-the-bath scenario, as long as there was an ELCB / RCD fitted, you would actually be safe. The water would conduct the current from the live wire to the neutral wire, possibly blowing the fuse in the plug. If the plug fuse survived, the capacitance between the mass of water in the bath and Earth would conduct a current to Earth. This obviously would not be flowing through the neutral wire, and so the RCD (which measures the difference between the current flowing out of the live and the current flowing into the neutral; if they are not the same, meaning some current has found an alternative path to Earth, it cuts off the power) would trip. At any rate, the neutral wire is closer to the live wire than you are, so the lion's share of the current will go that way rather than your way.
2007-12-31 03:39:56 · answer #3 · answered by sparky_dy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are wise not to fool around with electricity, even if it is not dangerous at times. Think of a battery as a source of electrical pressure (like water pressure). The 1.5, 9 and 12 volt batteries are commonly used because there is limited danger, although shorting a battery may cause it to explode. However, the second part of your question deals with the circuit you may set up if you (accidentally) touch live wires. Passing only through a finger may cause local burns (if the voltage is high enough) but passing through the trunk (including the heart) may cause electrocution. I read that electrician is a very safe vocation, because they ALWAYS kill and check the power off before starting to work. Wet skin lowers resistance to electrical pressure and it is best to kill the power and use a flashlight to enter a wet (flooded) basement, etc. The results of carelessness are often shocking!
2007-12-31 01:39:35 · answer #4 · answered by Kes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
water is a weak electrolyte, thus it poses a little threat I think.
2007-12-31 01:25:50 · answer #5 · answered by avik r 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nah. I doubt you'll feel any current at all. If anything it will be less intense than putting the battery straight on your wet toungue. (your toungue is wet with saliva full of elecrolytes that conduct electricity well but a glass of plain water has few electrolytes so it will carry less current.
2007-12-31 00:58:57 · answer #6 · answered by David H 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it will do nothing! it is only a 9 volt battery!!!!
2007-12-31 00:55:29 · answer #7 · answered by dtx 50 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
9V battery doesn't have enough power to cause harm. Do not start playing with your household electricity.
2007-12-31 00:55:25 · answer #8 · answered by busterwasmycat 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The current won't be enough to harm you but I'm not sure if the water causing a short could cause the battery to explode.
2007-12-31 00:54:08 · answer #9 · answered by doktrgroove 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋