ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Her hands were likely extra dry....its the moisture in your hands, coupled
with the electrolytes in your body that makes the thing go (I think).  So I
don't think she's a freak...

http://www.livesonline.org/dsrs/worksheets/human_battery1.pdf 


Jeff Courtman
Exhibits & Special Projects Coordinator
251.208.6851
Exploreum Science Center
www.exploreum.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jonah Cohen
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 3:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Un-lectric

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

Well here's my weird question of the week:

 

I got e-mail from a woman who visited our museum and had a question about
the Hand Battery exhibit. (You put your hands on copper and aluminum plates,
presto - electricity. Everyone has one of these, right?) She said that it
worked for everyone she saw try it, but the meter showed her as generating
no electricity. What's up with that?

 

It seems we can rule out the usual suspects of a busted exhibit (it worked
for others) or incorrect usage (put your hands on a flat surface, this ain't
rocket science). Is it possible that some individuals are more
high-resistance than others? She speculates that her own health might be a
significant variable (she has Lupus).

 

Any thoughts?

 

Jonah Cohen

Outreach & Public Programs Manager

Science Center of Connecticut

 

"Fire up the klezmer music and prepare to become a man, you're in for a
truth-mitzvah!"

        -Stephen Colbert

 


***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message
SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]