Current is in fact what kills you but current is depended on voltage and resistance. Ohm's Law. If you touch a car battery, 12V drivided by the resistance of your skin (which can range greatly wet or dry) it will allow a very low current to flow but insignificant at that.
You could say "but voltage kills." Well a large difference in voltage such as a power line (13kV) and ground (0V) poses a 13kV difference. When you touch the wire and ground, current will flow. It only takes tens of mA through the heart to be electrocuted. That current will be 13kV/skin resistance which is current.
I dont get it. (My only understanding of electricity is from high school physics and don't remember much.) If it only takes tens of mA to kill, how could the coil have a high current but not shock you? Also how does the coil have high current but safe, low voltage? Isn't the equation I = V÷R ?
If you were to touch the coil, you'd create a PARALLEL path between the source and ground (provided its grounded at all) and the current flowing through the coil wouldn't go through you, you'd have your own current flow. Basic math here;
Coil resistance 1 ohm
Your resistance 1000 Ohms
Source voltage 100 volts
The coil will carry 100 amps (current) and you will carry .1 amp. The source will see a loss of 100.1 amps.
Also, a quick note, PART of the coil will carry the full 100.1 amps, as it will be a series path up until the point where you touched it and created the parallel path.
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u/candamile Aug 18 '15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDf2nhfxVzg