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/sci/ - Science & Math

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5512788 No.5512788 [Reply] [Original]

A question to ponder: If I was swimming and not touching the ground and lightning struck right near me would I die? Because im not touching ground and thats the reason why I could go hang off a BIG telephone pole and not get hurt, because im not touching a ground.

>> No.5512797

Wouldn't you be "grounded" through the water.?

>> No.5512804

you'd be fine op. seawater is a powerful insulator, one of the most powerful there is.

>> No.5512802

But you are IN what the lighting is hitting, but a possibility.

>> No.5512808
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5512808

>>5512788
Nope. You die. The problem isn't the strike itself, but as the current from the strike spread out from the initial strike you get voltage drops, just like you do on a resistor. With enough current, you can have a very wicked voltage drop occurring over a few inches. You're not touching ground so you don't get the full voltage, but you're getting enough. Even your telephone idea would get you some voltage between any two point you connect with.

>> No.5512816

as a marine engineer, i must say that the sea is a mighty fine ground/earth

>> No.5512827

So question:

1: How far away might you have to be without touching the ground and to survive?

2: So would the voltage going through you overload your heart or might it just pass on by?

>> No.5512834

>>5512808
Just to clerify

It would boil your testicles?

>> No.5512838

Also a new problem has came up thanks to /b/.
Would it matter if its salt or fresh?
Salt: It heats up the salt and other minerals and superheats the water melting you
Fresh: you don't die cuz it passes through you

>> No.5512865

from /b/

It would Fuck you up. A close strike: hearing damage, burns, flash burns to eyes and whatever the electro magnetic discharge will do to your central nervous system.
If you think you're not grounded, how do you think planes get hit?

>> No.5512868

>>5512827
1: Unknown. Strike strength varies. Some people have been directly hit and lived (with burns and other things not deemed bad because he didn't died)
2: The voltage drop across your body can force enough current through you to do nasty things. Where you get the shock can be important. A high current shock between your right hand and feet might not kill you when a weak shock from hand to hand would.

>> No.5512873

>>5512834
Yes, even if you didn't have any to begin with.

>> No.5512883

>>5512838
Both would be bad. If the water is conductive enough to "grab" a strike, it's conductive enough. Even though electrons a really small, get enough together and they'll do anything they damn well want.

>> No.5512903

>>5512838
>you don't die cuz it passes through you

the fuck