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Cake day: September 4th, 2025

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  • sem@piefed.blahaj.zonetoLemmy Shitpost@lemmy.worldHome renovations
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    3 days ago

    A short circuit is when you provide a path for electricity to travel directly from A to B.

    You can’t do this by touching the battery terminals because your dry skin won’t transmit the electicity. You’re just touching battery terminals.

    If you hold a AA battery in between your finger and thumb, you’re also not short circuiting it. You’re just holding it by its terminals.

    But if you hold an unfolded paperclip to both sides, you are shorting it. The electricity can travel through the paperclip.

    If you hold a nine volt battery against your dry palm, it’s not a short circuit. But if you hold it against your tongue, it is a short circuit because the electricity can travel through your (wet) tongue. You can feel the difference.

    As far as I know, there is not a large population using “short circuit” the way you were (just touching a battery terminals).