The Science Core
  • Home
    • Internet
    • Market
    • Stock
  • Parent Category
    • Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 1
      • Sub Child Category 2
      • Sub Child Category 3
    • Child Category 2
    • Child Category 3
    • Child Category 4
  • Featured
  • Health
    • Childcare
    • Doctors
  • Home
  • About
    • naturescience
    • Physics
    • Chemistry
    • Astronomy
    • Engineering
  • Explore
    • Discoveries
    • Inventions
    • Technonogy
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Linkin
    • Whatapp
  • Sponsor

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Why do birds and squirrels not get shocked by the high voltage power lines

By Andrew Joseph     October 13, 2020     Electronics, Physics, Sciencefacts     No comments   


Do you sometimes wonder why birds and some other animals like squirrels, sit and play over high voltage transmission lines without getting electrocuted? Our curiosity can go as far as making us assume that birds and squirrels feets are covered by strong insulators, or their body are resistance to electricity. The fact is that none of these assumptions are basically true because the reason why this happens is not owing to any special abilities. Birds or squirrels are absolutely not immune to electric shock( as you see in the image below). Here is what really happens.

photo of a dead bird hanging on a transmission pole

What is electric shock or electrocution: Electric shock is the sudden discharge of electric current into the body which can cause severe injury or a permanent damage to the body. Electrocution is when the victim dies from it at that point. For us to know why current isn't flowing through birds or squirrels sitting on a high voltage wires, we first have to know the three things needed for electric current to flow in the first place.

What is needed for current to flow 

For electric current to flow continuously, there must be: 
  • A voltage source: Voltage is what provides the electromotive force for electrons to flow round a circuit. Just like a water pump is needed to provide the pressure needed to pump water through a pipe, so in the case of electricity, voltage is what provides the drive force for electric current and it always  relative  between two point. You'll never see a battery or an AC generator having just one terminal, it should have two active wires or terminals.
  • A closed circuit: For electrons to flow continuously, they must be a  path, and that path is called a circuit. But electrons doesn't have infinite sources and destinations so a closed circuits provides a complete path for electrons to flow round a conductor. It doesn't matter the type of current, whether it an alternating current(AC) or a direct current(DC) they all require a closed circuit.
  • A path of NO or relatively LOW resistance: There is practically no conductor with zero resistance, but for electric current to flow the resistance on a circuit must not be high enough to completely stop the flow of current in that circuit. Electric current highly prefer the path of lower resistance, that means a very least amount of current will flow in a in a path filled with electrical resistance.

Each of these 3 criteria plays a role on why birds and squirrels do not get electrocuted when playing on what suppose to roast them to ashes. Let explore.      

POINT 1:   ONE POINT CONTACT - As we’ve already learned, electricity requires a complete path (closed circuit) to continuously flow. Without two contact points on the body for electric current to enter and exit respectively, there is no hazard of shock. This is why birds and squirrels can safely rest on high-voltage power lines without getting shocked because they make contact with the circuit at only one point. When current is generated from the source (power plants) to the transmission lines, it follows a loop pattern. From the  live wires to different loads (transformers, home appliances) and then the earth wire(or ground) acts as the return path for this current to flow back to the source . Birds or squirrels do not take part in this loop because they always land on either of these wires. 

POINT 2: In order for electrons to flow through a conductor, there must be a voltage present to motivate them. Voltage, as you should recall, is always relative between two points. There is no such thing as voltage ”on” or ”at” a single point in the circuit, and so the bird contacting a single point in the above circuit has no voltage applied across its body to establish a current through it. Yes, even though they rest on two feet, both feet are touching the same wire, making them electrically common. Electrically speaking, both of the bird’s feet touch the same point, hence there is no voltage between them to motivate current through the bird’s body.



For schematic view of both scenario, see this diagram:

As we can see that the safe bird, appears to be electrically common.

POINT 3: Birds,  squirrels and even some other animals have a rather higher resistance to electricity. As earlier mentioned, electric current flow chooses the path of lower resistance. Birds do not offer an easy path for current to flow due to it high electrical resistance, so current bypasses the birds and chooses the path of lower resistance which are the copper or aluminium cables.




  • Share: 
  •  Facebook
  •  Twitter
  •  Stumble
  •  Digg
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook

Related Posts:

  • Introduction to Thermodynamics Thermodynamics is that branch of science ,which deals with conversion of heat energy into other form of energies and describe their convers… Read More
  • How radio frequency works Radio waves are electromagnetic waves that include light, microwaves, x-rays, infrared, ultraviolet, etc. Radio waves are composed of both elect… Read More
  • How do solar panels works?The annual increasing rates of global warming and carbon emission has opened up a the revolution of a cleaner energy. Thanks to advanced research on t… Read More
  • Semiconductors - theory and applicationsThe study of electricity has since been limited to the nature of current on conductors and insulators until when researchers decided to explore more o… Read More
  • Black holes | Definition, formation, and factsThrougout the field of cosmology, black holes has stood out to be among the most fascinating things ever studied about our universe.  The idea th… Read More
  • What causes lightening and thunder and why do we see lightening before hearing thunderDo you sometimes wonder why we often see lightening flashes first before we hear the sound of thunder? What is the science behind it and how can you p… Read More
  • Why is it said that electrons are negatively charged The separation of electric charges into positive and negative still sounds much of a brain box to some curious new physicist, especially in the … Read More
  • Concepts of electromagnetic force The word electromagnetic force consists of two qualitative distinct forces: electricity and magnetism. It is the force acting on either or … Read More
  • The 4 fundamental forces of nature A force by definition is a push or pull that an object exerts on another, causing it to experience motion or deformity. Everything in the univer… Read More
  • Understanding the band theory The band theory is basically an extension of the molecular orbital theory which satisfactorily explains the electrical properties of solids.The … Read More
  • What is conventional current and why is it opposite to electron flowMany students of physics and electrical engineering are confused by the idea of conventional current. If current is due to the flow of electrons, and … Read More
  • Understanding speed, velocity, and acceleration by analogies The concept of speed, velocity and acceleration is what we are experiencing in our daily life. From rolling a ball, to riding a bike, to boarding a tr… Read More
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

General categories

  • Astronomy (6)
  • Chemistry (17)
  • Electronics (5)
  • Geography (1)
  • How stuffs work (8)
  • Naturescience (14)
  • Physics (17)
  • projects (3)
  • Sciencefacts (11)
  • wildlife (5)

Popular Posts

  • Emulsion - definition, properties, and examples
  • Suspension - meaning and examples
  • Concept of electrovalent(ionic) bonding
  • What is a Tyndall effect
  • Metal ores - Meaning and examples
  • covalent bond - definition, properties and examples
  • What is the difference between a meteor and a comet
  • Why do birds and squirrels not get shocked by the high voltage power lines
  • What is superconductivity
  • Top 10 hardest natural substances on earth

Sub categories

Physics

  • Heat
  • Electricity
  • Magnetism
  • Motion
  • Forces of nature
  • AC circuit
  • Optics
  • Waves
  • Electromagnetism

Chemistry

  • Acids, bases and salts
  • Chemical polarity
  • SOlutions and solubility
  • Chemical bonding
  • petrochemicals
  • Industrial chemistry
  • Natural effects
  • Electrolysis

Nature science

  • Optical illusions
  • Auroras
  • celestial bodies
  • Natural forces
  • Organisms
  • Ecosystem

Electronics

  • Power Electronics - Introduction
  • Types of PSU
  • LPS
  • Oscilator circuits
  • Smps
  • Filters
  • Digitial circuits

Featured post

Top 10 world's fastest fishes

The Science Core

The science core is a leading online platform aiming at delivering the best collection of sciencific, technical, and medical research and discoveries in the world straight to you.

Follow us on social media

Quick navigate

  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Astronomy
  • Sciencefacts
  • Home
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines

Copyright © 2025 The Science Core | Powered by Blogger
Design by Andrew Joseph