Download Feb pp 06 quiz.qxd

Feb pp 06 quiz.qxd
1/19/2006
1:05 PM
Page 2
Energy Feature
Using electricity safely and efficiently
Test Your Electricity Knowledge
Why can a bird sit on a
power line and not be
electrocuted?
Because
it is not
touching the
ground or
any other
grounded
object.
True or false:
It is safe to
climb a tree
located near a
power line as long
as the limbs are not
touching the line.
False. Electricity has
the ability to “jump” from
the power line to the tree
and electrocute someone
in the tree. Never climb a
tree near a power line.
What is the best conductor of electricity?
Silver.
If you see a downed or
low-hanging power line,
what should you do?
Stay clear and call your
electric utility immediately.
Where is the safest place
to be during an electrical storm?
By far the safest place to
be is in a building or
house. The metal plumbing and wiring in the walls
form a protective barrier.
However, do not touch
and stay away from electrical appliances, plumbing
fixtures and wiring.
6 FEBRUARY 2006
Is using
a telephone
during a lightning
storm dangerous?
Yes. Lightning can strike
phone and electrical wires
and travel into your house
through your phone cord,
and into your handset.
Cordless phones do not
pose the same risk because
they have no physical connection to the wires.
Is it OK to store flammable materials near
wall switches or power
equipment?
No. A spark could jump
unexpectedly.
True or false: It is unsafe
to touch a power line
with a pole, even if the
pole is made of plastic.
True. Do not touch a
power line with any object.
How fast does electricity
travel?
At the speed of light:
186,300 miles per second.
True or
false: It is dangerous to
leave a radio or
other electrical
device connected to a
nearby electric outlet
while bathing, even if
the cord is insulated and
the power is off.
True. Water can conduct an electrical shock
whether or not the cord is
insulated or powered.
What is the average
number of people who
die in the United States
each year from being
struck by lightning?
About 100.
True or false: A car is
a safe place to be in an
electrical storm because
it has rubber tires.
False. While an enclosed
metal car is a safe place to
be, the tires do not protect
you. They would have to be
about a mile thick and
made of solid rubber to
afford you adequate protection. The metal that surrounds you affords the protection. Lightning—like all
forms of electricity—will
travel only on the surface of
enclosed metal objects.
A 4,000-watt portable
generator is big enough
to power which of the
following equipment: a
refrigerator/freezer, an
electric water heater
and/or a 20,000 Btu air
conditioner?
The refrigerator/freezer
and the water heater. A
20,000 Btu air conditioner
typically requires more
than 7,000 watts to start.
Generators must be rated
large enough to power the
starting wattage of the
entire load of equipment
connected to them, not just
the running wattage.
True or false: It is safer
to leave an extension
cord out in the open than
it is to run it under a rug.
True. If a cord runs
under a rug, you cannot
inspect it for damage, and
an overheated cord can
ignite the floor covering.
How much voltage is
needed to hurt someone?
Any amount of voltage
can hurt or kill a person.
True or false: Power
lines are insulated and
safe to touch.
False. Most electric
lines are bare. Overhead
power lines and lines from
a pole transformer to your
home may be partially
insulated, but even they
are dangerous to touch.
Stay away from them. ■
Adapted with permission
from Colorado Country Life.