A few Myths and Facts about Electricity

Electricity is indeed a staple of modern life. In spite of its vast usage, people remain steer clear of its few basic facts that should be definitely known. It is cent percent true that electricity can’t be replaced by any other alternative, but with unknown conceptions, it might turn hazardous for many. Well considering your safety, our experts have illustrated a few myths that everyone should be aware of. So without much ado, let’s get started!

Myth: Power lines are insulated

Truth: Well, ninety percent of power lines are not insulated. And even the ones that are, usually lose their insulation because of strong storms. This is the reason that whenever you cross beneath high-power transformers, you feel sudden shock if you are in direct contact with the ground or any conductive material. Always remember that no powerline is completely safe to touch or approach too closely.

Myth: The line is safe because it has less voltage

Truth: Actually, voltage is not at all deadly, whereas, amperage is. Even one ampere current is enough to cause fatal heart irregularities. So, never judge the safety on the basis of the voltage. In fact, an average house has almost 100 to 200 ampere current running through it. Play it safe!

Myth: A fallen wire isn’t live

Truth: No, it can be! If the wire falls on a poor conductor, like snow or asphalt, then it does short circuit. You should stay at least twenty feet away from a downed power line. It could still be live, even if it doesn’t produce sparks. Well, this shifts us to the next myth...

Myth: A livewire will make sparks when it falls

Truth: Not always! The livewire sparks when it comes in contact with the ground or any other conductive material. However if it falls on insulative materials, then it does not spark or make noise. This makes it even more dangerous to anyone who assumes it in dormant state.

Myth: Wood and rubber objects are good insulators

Truth: While doing any sort of electrical work around the house, the first approach of most of the people is to take off metals and to put on rubber gloves and shoes. Although these are good safety measures, they are insufficient to prevent an accident. Most of the household items are conductors to some degree, rather than insulators. Pure rubber is undoubtedly an excellent insulator; however, most rubber shoes, gloves, and other goods are rarely pure rubber, having been mixed with additives for strength and durability. The same thing lies with the wood too. Though wood is a poor conductor, wet wood is not. So be careful around any wood that could have been energized, and use proper measures before doing any household electric work.

Hey, one more as a bonus for you

Do you also think that generators create electricity?

Truth: The generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. When the generator starts its operation, it causes electrons already present in the wires to flow through the circuit. It just facilitates the flow of electrons but does not create the electrons.

Certainly, electricity is a fascinating thing; it is a vital component of our everyday lives. Well, do you want to learn something about it that you might have not known before? If you have a couple of minutes to spare, then read ahead and behold this thrilling compilation of interesting facts about electricity!

• In an average household, 75% of the electricity used to power electronic devices is consumed while the products are turned off. Being specific, a desktop computer’s idle power consumption is 80 watts, while that of a laptop is 20 watts.
• Only ten percent of the energy used by a traditional bulb generates light. The other 90% of the energy creates heat. However, in compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) about 80 percent less electricity is used than conventional bulbs, therefore, they last up to 12 times longer.
• In the late years of 17th century, Nikola Tesla introduced alternating current (AC) electricity that can be transmitted over greater distances than direct current.
• Coal is the world’s biggest source of energy for producing electricity.
• Do you know that electricity plays a key role in the pumping mechanism of your heart? Electricity enables heart muscle cells to contract. And, electrocardiogram machines, often called as ECG, measure the electricity going through the heart. Then on the basis of heart’s rhythm, it generates the report.

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