Before you touch a high tension electricity power line, there is a huge potential difference between you and the wire. When you touch the wire, a burse of electric charge would flow for a very short moment only (assume there is no closed circuit). During that short moment, the charge involved is very low (although the electric potential difference is very high). Overall the energy involved is small, may be enough to create a tiny spark of electricity to your hand. Still, nothing serious.
In summary, if there is no closed circuit, static electric charge cannot kill you.
Another example on the same topic: How does the electric mosquito racquet work? Can you identify the closed circuit when there is a mosquito?
HF Cheung
[ Last edited by HFCheung at 4/11/2011 17:51 ]
