Electricity is very dangerous! So why aren’t birds electrocuted on power lines? What keeps them safe?
Katarina lets you in on some pretty cool science and why birds around the world need not fear to land on power lines.
Meet Tim the Bird
Tim is happily perched high above the ground with his feet wrapped tightly around an electrical wire. Dangerous amounts of electricity are flowing beneath his feet, but he isn’t frightened at all. Let’s take a look at how electricity works so we can better understand why Tim is so calm.
The path of least resistance
The energy flowing through wires is like water flowing through pipes. The wires carry the electricity to another destination just like pipes carry water to another place. Electricity will always find the easiest path to flow through and likes going into the ground most of all. You should never touch the wire because it could electrocute you and hurt you very badly.
How is Tim safe?
Tim flew through the air and landed on the wire. When he’s ready to leave, he will fly away through the air again and never touch the telephone and the wire at the same time. The electricity flows safely through the wire beneath his feet so Tim will never become a path to the ground.
If he did reach out with his little wing and touch the telephone pole, though, he would quickly become a rotisserie chicken! Ouch!
Always – ALWAYS – be careful around electricity otherwise, you’ll be in for a gigantic shock!
Credits
Why Aren’t Birds Electrocuted on Wires?
Executive Producers
Jim Demetriades and Nikos Iatropoulos
Directed by
Joseph Rohrs and Luke Gschwend
Hosted by
Katarina Demetriades
Written and edited by
Joseph Rohrs
Production Assistant
Gwynne Rohrs
Title Animation
Jonathan Reaux
Images and Footage
Sound Effects
www.freesfx.co.uk
Music
Licensed through Audiojungle: “My Perfect Neighborhood”