Question

Is it safe for the electrician to carry out electrical repairs outdoors during heavy downpour? Explain.

Answer 1

Hint: When working with electricity the possibility of electric shock is always present.. This exposure to electricity via electric shock can be fatal for humans, if the current is at high voltage. Thus for safety we must take all necessary precautions.

Complete step by step answer:
Rain is basically water which has been condensed from its aqueous vapour form and thus falls from the atmosphere in the form of small water droplets. The water of the rain usually comes from large water bodies like the freshwater in rivers, streams or the ocean water.

The water in the ocean has accumulated all sorts of salts and minerals from all of the rivers which flow into it. So if rainwater is condensed from its aqueous vapour from the sea it will contain all these minerals and salts.

Pure water does not conduct electricity. In other words pure water does not allow the flow of charge through it. Pure water can be thus called as an excellent conductor. But when salts are added to this water it starts conducting electricity, due to the presence of free ions. Thus water itself becomes a conductor.

Now as rainwater contains salts, it is a good conductor of electricity and will allow the flow of charge through it.

When an electrician works with electric circuits or electricity, in order to perform repairs during heavy downpour, he is at high risk of getting an electric shock from the appliances. This is because the rain water will allow the conduction of electricity through multiple passages which is pouring on the electrician itself. Thus this can be fatal for the electrician. So one should avoid carrying out electrical repairs outdoors during heavy downpour.

Note: If by any chance the water of rain contains very large amounts of solutes and ions. Then the water itself becomes a comparatively better conductor than the human body. So the electric current may essentially ignore a human body in the water, in order to stick to a better pathway of conduction. But the possibility of this phenomena is extremely rare.