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Elementary Science Education

High Voltage/Current

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    • #9313

      Emily
      Participant

      Hello!
      I’m confused by Part 3 of this lesson. I was always a bit fuzzy on electricity in school, but I thought I remembered learning that it’s really the current (amps) not the voltage that’s dangerous. I was thinking about showing my kids this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubZuSZYVBng) to go along with this lesson, but I’m wondering how to reconcile it with what they’ve learned about high voltage being dangerous. Maybe it would just confuse them more since amps haven’t been covered yet? Thanks for any clarification you can give to point me in the right direction. 🙂

    • #9314

      Bernard Nebel
      Keymaster

      Thank you for your question, Emily. It is both voltage and the current (amps) that are significant. Think of volts as pressure. First, there must be enough pressure (voltage) to push current through the body. Second, there must be enough current (amps) to do damage. “Danger, High Voltage” signs are to say that there is enough voltage to potentially cause current to leap from the power cables to your body and then then to ground. That there is enough current (amps) in the system to cause damage is taken as a given. I hope this helps, but please ask further.

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