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Electric Currents Direct Current Alternating Current Electromagnetic Waves Radio Waves Radio Skin Effect Electric Shock Depolarization

Electric currents that oscillate at radio frequencies have special properties such as radiating energy as electromagnetic radio waves. RF currents tend to flow along the surfaces of conductors due to the skin effect and often do not cause pain like lower frequency currents. However, RF currents can still cause internal injury and superficial burns called RF burns.

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79 views1 page

Electric Currents Direct Current Alternating Current Electromagnetic Waves Radio Waves Radio Skin Effect Electric Shock Depolarization

Electric currents that oscillate at radio frequencies have special properties such as radiating energy as electromagnetic radio waves. RF currents tend to flow along the surfaces of conductors due to the skin effect and often do not cause pain like lower frequency currents. However, RF currents can still cause internal injury and superficial burns called RF burns.

Uploaded by

Anonymous BkmsKXzwyK
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Electric currents that oscillate at radio frequencies (RF currents) have special properties not

shared by direct current or alternating current of lower frequencies.

 Energy from RF currents in conductors can radiate into space as electromagnetic


waves (radio waves). This is the basis of radio technology.
 RF current does not penetrate deeply into electrical conductors but tends to flow along their
surfaces; this is known as the skin effect.
 RF currents applied to the body often do not cause the painful sensation and muscular
contraction of electric shock that lower frequency currents produce.[3][4] This is because the
current changes direction too quickly to trigger depolarization of nerve membranes. However
this does not mean RF currents are harmless; they can cause internal injury as well as
serious superficial burns called RF burns.
 RF current can easily ionize air, creating a conductive path through it. This property is
exploited by "high frequency" units used in electric arc welding, which use currents at higher
frequencies than power distribution uses.
 Another property is the ability to appear to flow through paths that contain insulating material,
like the dielectric insulator of a capacitor. This is because capacitive reactance in a circuit \

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