Electricity facts my teacher got wrong
I just ran across this website detailing science myths in K-12 textbooks and popular belief. This post about electricity popped up on del.icio.us popular today.
How does 'electricity' work? If you've learned about electricity from grade-school textbooks, then first we have to do some "debunking" and find out how electricity DOESN'T work. Sorry if the following is a bit contentious at times. I wrote it in an attempt to get some things off my chest. If you keep watching this site, I'll probably clean it up and make it sound a bit more professional. Read more...
Labels: homeschool, schools
"If given the choice, I might prefer to touch a 1,000 volt wire than a 120 volt wire. With the 120 volts, my hands would latch onto the wire and I wouldn't be able to let go. With the 1,000 volt wire there would be a big flash and a loud bang, and I could be thrown across the room. (The energy didn't throw me, instead the current made the muscles of my legs and arms do the work.) "
He couldn't be any wronger, and I would NOT want my child to learn from him. I've accidently or purposely have come in contact with 120 volt many many times, and your muscles DO NOT lock up. Trust me, the opposite happens and you immediatley jerk away. In fact, if you have a pliers in your hand at the time, they will more than likely go flying across the room. COnversly, 880 volt will absolutely make your muscles lock up, and there will not be an explosion or loud pop. Your muscles will lock up on the wire quickly. I had to knock a ladder out from under a fellow worker that "locked up" on 880 volts. He fractured a leg from the fall, but would have been dead from the shock very quick. In summary, the man has appearent scientific knowledge, but not practical theory of electrical usage in the real word. Yes, inside his so called vaccuum tube, he is correct , but I would never take his writings as trusted material on all the facts that he lays out. Don't get fooled by the "Terminology" that he relies on. Also, don't believe that low voltage can't harm you. When combine with high current any voltage is dangerous because voltage alone is safe, Unlike the old term " It's not the volts that gets you, it's the amps. NOT TRUE! It has to be a combination of both. Volts X Amps = Power. 120 volts at 1 amp is 120 watts. Enough to harm some people. 1 volt at 120 amp still equals 120 watts.
Ok, that's all. Just be careful in this day of the internet what you can trust as proven or a self proclaimed exper's personal opinion.






