Yes, more physical than psychological. Mythbusters labeled this as "plausible" meaning it is possible to happen, but requires the source of electricity to be relatively close to the person. For a standing man, the urine stream breaks up before getting to the third rail of an electric train (presumably on the ground on which the man is standing), therefore implausible in that situation. But, if it is an electric fence, the urine could hit the fence while still continuous and therefore form a path for electricity to travel to the person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_%282004_season%29#Peeing_on_the_Third_Rail More than any of us wanted to know. Paul C. Bernhardt Department of Psychology Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland -----Original Message----- From: Bourgeois, Dr. Martin [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sat 3/6/2010 4:25 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Student's question This must be what prompted the question (although a later report contradicted this one). MONTESANO, Wash. (AP) -- Authorities believe a Washington man was killed by accidentally urinating on a downed power line after a car crash. Grays Harbor County sheriff's Deputy Dave Pimentel (PIM'-en-tel) said Monday 50-year-old Roy Messenger was not seriously hurt after he collided with a power pole Friday and called a relative to pull his car from a ditch. However, family members found Messenger electrocuted when they arrived. Pimentel says Messenger apparently urinated into a roadside ditch but didn't see the live wire. The urine stream likely served as a conductor, allowing the electricity to reach his body. Pimentel says there will be an autopsy but burn marks indicated the way the electricity traveled through Messenger's body. ________________________________ From: Bourgeois, Dr. Martin Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2010 4:04 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Student's question Although an excellent question, shouldn't they be asking it in physics class instead of psychology? ________________________________ From: michael sylvester [[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2010 2:55 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Student's question If a person urinates on a hot exposed electrical wire,will electricity travel upstream and electrocute that persun? Michael "omnicentric" Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87814&n=T&l=tips&o=1105 (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) or send a blank email to leave-1105-13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87...@fsulist.frostburg.edu<mailto:leave-1105-13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87814&n=T&l=tips&o=1107 (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) or send a blank email to leave-1107-13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87...@fsulist.frostburg.edu<mailto:leave-1107-13390.2bbc1cc8fd0e5f9e0b91f01828c87...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13441.4e79e96ebb5671bdb50111f18f263003&n=T&l=tips&o=1108 or send a blank email to leave-1108-13441.4e79e96ebb5671bdb50111f18f263...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=1120 or send a blank email to leave-1120-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
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