[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

While I was eating my dinner the other evening, Sandra was watching Home & Away (yes, I know - it's a shame). There was a scene where someone got an electric shock powerful to knock him out, but his hair wasn't standing on end.

Now, that is contrary to comedic effect which stipulates that hair shall stand on end or all that shall remain is a pair of smoking boots.

But it got me to wondering; does hair always stand on end upon receipt of a hefty electric shock? (I know the smoking boots doesn't really happen)

[syhprum]

You are confusing the electrochemical effects that give a shock (or even kill you) with the harmless electrostatic effect that make your hair stand on end.
I you are well insulated from the ground you can be connected to a high voltage source such as the 25 KV supply for a CRT in which case only a small current will flow into you not sufficient to give you a shock but once you are charged up your hair will stand on end.
To get a shock an appreciable current must flow thru you a voltage of 110v can be sufficient to kill you if you make contact with wet hands and the current flows thru your heart and upsets its rhythm. 

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

Thank you, syhprum. But are you sure that CRTs use 25KV? I've got a CRT on my old PC & I'm sure it can't use that much.

[neilep]

Ewe could always ask  Electric chair Death Row candidates to " conduct " as a final act , an experiment of empirical research !!

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

[syhprum]

Thank you, syhprum. But are you sure that CRTs use 25KV? I've got a CRT on my old PC & I'm sure it can't use that much.

Indeed they do, some TV's go up to 28KV, they are only restrained from going higher by the limit on how much Xray's they are allowed to generate.

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

GAWD!  []

So every time the kids poke around by the CRT they're close to 25KV?

Come here, kiddies!

[syhprum]

Not only the voltage, the Electrons have a effective temperature of 2.9*10^8°K (22.4 times that at the centre of the Sun)

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

That'll do!  []