Answer to Question #65468 in Electric Circuits for Helen

Question

Did you dare touch the Van de Graaff? The maximum charge that our classroom Van
de Graaff generator could hold on its dome was about 5 µC. Assume that when you get
shocked by the generator, all of this charge passes through you in just one-hundredth
of a second (1.00 × 10−2
s). (a) Calculate the associated average current for getting
shocked by the Van de Graaff generator, and express your answer in units of mA
(milli-amperes). Now, let’s say you are feeling bold and opt to lick a 9 V battery. The
resistance for wet skin is about 2000 Ω. (b) Calculate the associated current through
your tongue when you place it across the terminals of a 9 V battery, and express your
answer in the same units of mA.