Concept
Version 9
Created by Boundless
Humans and Electric Hazards
Short Circuit
A short circuit is an undesired low-resistance path across a voltage source. (a) Worn insulation on the wires of a toaster allows them to come into contact with a low resistance r. Since P = V2/r, thermal power is created so rapidly that the cord melts or burns. (b) A schematic of the short circuit.
Source
Boundless vets and curates high-quality, openly licensed content from around the Internet. This particular resource used the following sources:
"OpenStax College, College Physics. November 12, 2012."
http://cnx.org/content/m42350/latest/?collection=col11406/1.7
OpenStax CNX
CC BY 3.0.