I have to admit I'm a complete dunce when it comes to electricity. I know it flows through the shortest path, and I know to check watts when I replace light bulbs, but that's about it. Here's my question: I have a character that, for whatever reasons, is dangling tin cans and other aluminum stuff from him like it's a Halloween costume. He wants to electrocute somebody. So he first grabs that person and then grabs exposed wires. Would the electricity flow through him but not harm him? What would be a good voltage? Is he grounded (he's not wearing shoes or socks)? Thanks, everyone.
This is only thought experimentation but I'd be confident in saying: The electricity would flow around him (if there's a continuous path) for the most part as the garb you describe is external to him and a far better conductor than skin or more usual clothing. It would likely though shock him and travel back to (through) his own feet (if his footwear doesn't insulate) and therefore bypass his victim altogether. What you need: Nice high industrial voltage with plenty of current capacity for his power source Ideal scenario metal outfit on upper body a bit thicker than tin foil that runs from hand to hand (copper chain mail'd be best!). Pref bypassing his heart area He touches (doesn't grab exposed wires) He's wearing rubber boots He presses (doesn't grab) the bare chest (heart area) of his potential victim (whose wet feet are in contact with the ground) and holds his hand there
I'm slightly confused. It sounds like the person wanting to do the electrocution is grabbing exposed wires with one hand and the victim with the other hand all by himself regardless of the costume bits dangling around. In that case there is one path direct from wires through assailant to victim. Now if you don't wnat the assailant to be injured, then he should be insulated with quite a bit of rubber clothing against any current. So, a big gloved hand with conductive wiring on it's outside holding the exposed wire, and those wires externally moving current to the other gloved hand to the victim would do it, but you can't just have metal outside dangling in hopes it moves the electric flow around the assailant-that's toutching the wiring directly. A clasroom experiment we did in High School used a small Tesla coil (That big ball on a pipe tower) that one student on each side would toutch, then another student would grab that kids hand and it would continue unntil everyone was making a circle around the room and the last two kids had to finnish the circle and that hand grab was a startling spark. What kept vveryone safe was the voltage was crazy high but the wattage and amperage was so low that current flowed but it wasnt strong enough to actually be harmful. It was basicly static electricity from scuffing your feet on carpet. that's all it felt like.
My only thought: electrocution is, specifically, death by electric shock. Aluminum Man wants to kill someone? Any volts will do. You'll want something at or larger than 0.1 amperes though.
Read some Tesla. That should help you greatly. Or Faraday. He was a newbee when it came to such matters as well and look what he created? Science? Perhaps, but both exploring territories unknown to you both.
