Using electricity as a basis, you can do a lot of interesting and mesmerizing tricks. For example, the great Tesla successfully applied this in his work, without any consequences passing under high voltage discharges. But in some films, electric bloopers are so commonplace that they cause involuntary smiles from electricians. Let's get acquainted with four of the most commonplace of them.
1. High voltage contact just throws the person off
It looks comical enough, but this cannot be called true. After the appearance of the load (and in the film this load is the person himself), a maximum increase in the current will follow. Having passed through the body, such a current strength will cause serious physical damage to the body, and most likely even death. In this case, the person will remain in place.
Direct contact with both high and low voltage conductors only causes muscle contraction, but does not repulse in any way.
2. After the "shock" with an electric current, the hair must "stand up" and a burn appears on the face
Such a blooper is also often used in comedy films. Standard scenario: a person grabs a wire, a characteristic sound of an electric current is heard, after which the character's hair “stands up”, and the whole face is smeared with soot.
This cannot be for two reasons:
- The passage of an electric current does not electrify the body in any way, and, depending on the magnitude, only causes disturbances in its work.
- Only under the influence of high voltage can the skin become charred, but most likely such contact will only mean death.
Therefore, a dirty face and "standing" hair rather add comic, than reflect reality.
3. Damaged electrical panel causes sparks
A really long spark discharge only causes a high voltage, since air is a dielectric, and 380 or 220 V is not enough to "break through" it. But in the films, everything is different: an electrical panel or cable torn out by the villain's hand necessarily leads to a whole fireworks display.
This is done for showiness, because it will not be at all interesting for the viewer if, after a powerful blow, the light in the room simply disappears, and no visual processes follow.
4. A short circuit leads to the instantaneous combustion of all lamps and other electrical appliances
It is very interesting to watch a similar effect in science fiction films, where people are sent to other planets, but it turns out that they have not yet guessed to install circuit breakers in the electrical panel.
A short circuit of the phase and neutral wires can only cause the combustion of the wire section. Of course, the visual effect in the form of a small flash will follow, but that's all. And if a simple bag or differential machine is installed on the line, then and only, even all the wires will remain intact.
But in some films, everything happens differently: a short circuit causes a real explosion of a whole series of lamps or a sharp ignition of any household appliances. It is spectacular and beautiful from the point of view of cinema, but according to the canons of electrical engineering, it is completely untrue.