Summary

The length and thickness of the conducting wire

are factors that affect resistance encountered by
current. The longer the wire the greater will be
its resistance and the greater the cross sectional
area (a measure of the thickness of the wire),
the lower will be its resistance.
The resistance of an object also changes when the
object becomes wet. Dry human skin for
instance has a resistance of 100,000 ohms but
when it gets wet its resistance is reduced to
1,000 ohms.
 That is why it is important to dry the
hands when plugging an electrical
appliance to reduce any chance of getting
a lot of current if an accident occurs.
Since current can follow only a closed
path, why are damaged cords so
dangerous?
And why are people warned to stay away
from the fallen power lines?
Current follows the path of least resistance.
Materials with low resistance, such as certain
metals, are good conductors. Charge will flow
through a copper wire but not the plastic
coating that covers it because the copper is a
good conductor and plastic is not.
Water is a good conductor when mixed with
salt from a person’s skin. That is why it is
dangerous to use electrical devices near
water.
Understanding the relationship between
current and resistance is important in
protecting oneself from electric shock.
The next slide shows the physiological
effects that happen when a certain
amount of current passes through the
human body.
 Effects of Electric Current on the Human Body
Current Reaction
Below 1 milliampere Generally not perceptible
1 milliampere Faint, tingle
5 milliampere Slight shock felt, not painful but disturbing
6-25 milliampere (women) Painful shock, loss of muscular control. The freezing current
6-30 milliampere (men) or “let go” range.
Individual cannot let go but can be thrown away from the
circuit if extensor muscles are stimulated
50-150 milliampere Extreme pain, respiratory arrest (breathing stops), severe
muscular contractions, Death is possible.
1,000 – 4,300 milliampere Rhythmic pumping action to the heart ceases. Muscular
contraction and nerve damage occur, death likely
10,000 milliampere Cardiac arrest and severe burns occur. Death is probable

15,000 milliampere Lowest over current at which a typical fuse or circuit breaker
opens a circuit.
 Electrical Safety at Home
5 electrical safety tips you should know for your home
 Replace or repair damaged power cords.
Exposed wiring is a danger that cannot go
overlooked,
 Don't overload your outlets. ...
 Avoid extension cords as much as
possible. ...
 Keep electrical equipment or outlets
away from water. ...
 Protect small children from hazards.
Function of circuit breakers, fuses, earthing and double insulation and one
other safety device commonly used in the home.

Circuit Breakers:
A circuit breaker prevents a circuit from
overloading. It works by continuously
measuring the current in a circuit and if it
rises above the maximum current it is able
to carry safely, an electromagnet breaks the
circuit and halts the flow; stopping the
circuit from being overloaded. The circuit
breaker can be reset and the circuit
restored after it has been set off.
 FUSES
A fuse like a circuit breaker is used to prevent a
household circuit from overloading. A fuse uses is a
resistance wire with a low melting point connected
in series into a circuit, meaning the total current of
the circuit must pass through it. As the fuse is a
resistor it generates heat faster than the rest of the
circuit. The fuse has a melting point that is in
correlation to the maximum current the circuit can
carry, so when the current rises above the circuit’s
maximum the fuse will become hot and then melts,
breaking the circuit and removing the chance of the
circuit being overloaded.
 FUSES
Fuses are made with different melting
points allowing different strengths of
current to flow through it, making it
practical for all household circuits. The
fuses are inside an insulated casing
(usually rubber) to prevent the melted
fuse becoming a hazard. The
disadvantage of the fuse is that once the
wire is melted it is unusable and must be
replaced for the flow of electricity in the
circuit to be restored. 
 Earthing
Earthing or an earth wire is fitted in order
to protect people from an electric shock
from electrical appliances. An earth wire
is a good conductor and connects the
neutral wire in the fuse box and the
individual power outlets in the house to
the earth. When something comes into
direct contact with an active wire or an
object with a live current and there is no
earthing wire the person would receive
an electric shock from the current that
runs through their body to the ground.
 Earthing
If an earthing wire were to be in
place then rather than the current
flowing through the body it travels
down the better conducting earth
wire to the ground. The current
traveling down the earth wire also
simultaneously sets off the fuse or
circuit breaker, stopping the
current.
 Double Insulation
Double insulation is another means of
protecting people from the current that
flows through an appliance. All the
electrical wiring in a house is insulated by a
layer of rubber or plastic so that the bare
wire is not exposed. In many of these
appliances there is another second layer of
insulation as a buffer incase the first layer
fails. This second layer of insulation ensures
the electrical wiring is safe to handle and
cuts out the chance of a person receiving
an electric shock.
 Residual Current Device (RCD)
A Residual Current Device (RCD) is used to
prevent household circuits leaking current. The
device is used to detect if any current flows from
the circuit to the earth through a person or
through other means, and then break the circuit
to stop the current flowing before it causes any
harm or dangerous electric shock. A RCD greatly
reduces the risk of electric shock from a leaking
circuit however it is not guaranteed to provide
protection every time. It is also called a safety
switch and must be installed in any new buildings
as standard fuse box equipment.