Electricity Facts

9 out of 10 lightning strike victims survive!

With two forks and a charge, a pickle will emit light.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist!

Pure water (H2O) does not conduct electricity on its own.

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second!

Traditional toasters with mechanical levers don't waste any energy when plugged in after use, but modern toasters with digital displays can consume about 1 watt of 'vampire power' in standby mode.

There is a prison in Brazil that allows inmates to pedal stationary bicycles, providing electricity to a nearby city in exchange for reduced sentences.

The most powerful electric eel is found in the rivers of Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, and Peru, and produces a shock of 400-650 volts.

A microwave uses more electricity powering its clock and standby mode than actually heating food, because it's plugged in 24/7 but only runs for a few minutes per day.

Every spring, volunteer line crews travel to the Navajo Nation to connect homes that have never had power. This year, 51 utilities from 24 states sent crews for Light Up Navajo. In 14 weeks, they wired 269 homes for electricity. In Arizona, Judy Crank plugged in her refrigerator for the first time. She heard it hum to life. 'It's on,' she said. Then she opened the door and saw the light.