How can you survive a lightning strike?
Presenter Greg Foot investigates whether a human being can survive when struck by lightning. He uses a Tesla coil to produce very high voltages of static electricity that simulate lightning strikes. He starts by using an electric fence to show how completing an electric circuit allows the current to flow. He then explains that water containing minerals makes a good conductor of electricity and the human body contains about 73% water and this makes our bodies a good conductor. This is important because we need small amounts of electricity for our muscles to work.
He explains that lightning can stop muscles, like our heart muscle from working. Greg then demonstrates how anything containing water makes a good conductor and demonstrates how a Faraday cage works by conducting the lightning away to earth. He completes the demonstration by showing that the safest place in a storm is inside a metal car.
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