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Chapter 24: Problem 12

What's wrong with this news report: "A power-line worker was injured when 4000 volts passed through his body"?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The phrase '4000 volts passed through his body' is incorrect because it's the electric current (measured in amperes) that passes through, not the voltage (potential difference).

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Concepts

The first thing to clarify is the terminology. As per Ohm's law, Volts measure the potential difference or 'pressure' behind the flow of electrons, whereas Amperes measure the current or the 'flow rate' of the electrons.
02

Analyze the Statement

The statement mentions that 4000 volts passed through his body. This is misleading because voltage doesn't 'pass through', it's the electric current which does.
03

Correct the Statement

The report should have referred to the current (in amperes) that passed through his body, not the potential difference (in volts) which was applied. This is a crucial distinction, as it's the current that has the potential to cause harm.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

You're estimating costs for a new power line with your company's financial group. Engineering specifies a resistance per unit length of \(50 \mathrm{m} \Omega / \mathrm{km} .\) The costs of copper and aluminum wire are \(\$ 4.65 / \mathrm{kg}\) and \(\$ 2.30 / \mathrm{kg}\) and their densities are \(8.9 \mathrm{g} / \mathrm{cm}^{3}\) and \(2.7 \mathrm{g} / \mathrm{cm}^{3},\) respectively. Which material is more economical?

A \(12-V\) car battery is rated at 80 ampere-hours, meaning it can supply 80 A of current for 1 hour before it becomes discharged. If you accidentally leave the headlights on until the battery discharges, how much charge moves through the lights?

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