Practical Perspectives

Electricity and Safety

Electricity is everywhere in our homes, and it is a very useful part of our lives.

However, electrical energy can be hazardous. Examples of a mild electric danger include the static electricity shock we receive when we walk across a carpet and touch a doorknob. The electrical energy that can actually cause injury is due to electrical current and the way it flows through the body. In the following topics we will learn how voltages and currents are produced and the relationship between them.

The electrical behavior of the human body is quite complex.

To allow us to predict electrical phenomena, we may use simplified mathematical models in which simple mathematical relationships between voltage and current approximate the actual relationships in the human body. Such models, physical laws, and engineering techniques allow us to understand the electrical phenomena, including those related to electric safety.