A bird can sit harmlessly on a high-voltage wire because
A)the wire is insulated.
B)no potential difference is across the birds feet.
C)current is inside the wire.
D)the net charge on a current-carrying wire is zero.
E)all of these.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best choice is B because the bird can sit harmlessly on a high-voltage wire since no potential difference is across its feet. This means that the voltage of the bird and the voltage of the wire are the same, so there is no flow of current through the bird's body. The wire may not necessarily be insulated, but it can still be safe for the bird to sit on since there is no potential difference. The presence of current inside the wire or the net charge on a current-carrying wire are not relevant to the bird's safety on the wire.

A Bird Can Sit Harmlessly on a High-Voltage Wire Because