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Jonah,

We have done that activity with the girls in science classes and never had a
problem. The girls take apart everything from toasters to computers. We
don't do TVs or monitors, though. There are capacitors in old TVs that can
hold a charge, as you said. It can be discharged by shorting across the
terminals with a screwdriver if you know where to do it. Or you can just
wait until you accidently do it with your hand--that works too. You'll go
around the rest of the day all charged up, but it might be considered a
shocking waste of resources!

I usually tell the young women midway through the class that they can't go
home until they put everything back together again. Ha!

Phil Edgerton
Exhibits Technician
The Health Adventure
Asheville, NC 28801, who asks the question, "Is there room for levity at the
ASTC list-serv?"

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