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219

Trump Finally Weighs in on Controversial Shark vs. Electrocution Debate (whowhatwhy.org)

submitted 5 months ago by FlyingSquid@lemmy.world to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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In a soliloquy on batteries for electric vehicles, including ships, he pondered what would happen if such a boat were to sink and the battery would submerge.

...

“It must be because of MIT, my relationship with MIT, very smart, I say, what would happen if the boat sank from its weight, and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery is now underwater and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there,” he said as MAGA supporters listened intently. “By the way, a lot of shark attacks lately. Did you notice this? A lot of sha…”

...

“So there is a shark 10 yards from the boat, ten yards… or here,” he said. “Do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking, water goes over the battery, the boat is sinking? Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted?”

...

“He didn’t know. He said: ‘Nobody has ever asked me that question.’ I said, ‘I think it’s a good question. I think there is a lot of electric current coming through that water,’” Trump said. “But you know what I would do if there is a shark or you get electrocuted? I’ll take electrocution every single time.* I’m not getting near the shark.”

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[–] pezmaker@programming.dev 15 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (4 children)

No expert but do have an electronics degree and somee EE theory courses later in life. I don't think much would happen. Don't be a direct bridge across the terminals yourself and I don't think there will be much of an issue being in the same body of water as a battery with even close proximity.

But I could be very wrong.

[–] manucode@infosec.pub 7 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Don't car batteries contain strong acid? Before jumping into the bathtub I'd want to make sure that the battery isn't leaking.

[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 6 points 5 months ago

It says EV battery (because politics), rather than a traditional 12v car battery. The latter is usually lead acid, while the former is usually lithium-ion (LiFePO4 or Li-NMC)

[–] pezmaker@programming.dev 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That's a good point, and lithium batteries get sparky when the lithium gets exposed. In the boat example I'm not going to worry too much about lead acid batteries, if they leak it should dilute quickly. Honestly unless punctured, I'm not going to worry about the lithium batteries really either. You typically find out about punctures in those rather quickly. Like before the water is the issue.

[–] manucode@infosec.pub 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Is lithium+water similarly explosive as sodium+water?

[–] LordGimp@lemm.ee 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Yes but no. Chemically pure lithium reacts vere energetically with water. The stuff in batteries reacts too, but it's more like an unextinguishable toxic hellflare than an explosion. Pretty sure the batteries just keep burning under the water until the lithium is all gone.

[–] manucode@infosec.pub 3 points 5 months ago

Thanks for the explanation

[–] ch00f@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I don't think they'll burn under water. The main reason battery fires are hard to extinguish is because at high temperatures, metal oxides in them decompose and release oxygen gas. So you can't extinguish the fire, but you can try to cool it down.

This deck on the NASA website illustrates that very little oxygen is released from a single cell

Per this video:

So, as long as the temperature is hot enough, the batteries can just keep reigniting unless you use thousands of gallons of water to bring the temperature down to the point where that can’t happen.

Submersing it in the ocean would probably cool it very quickly and put it out.

[–] cole@lemdro.id 7 points 5 months ago

you're right. voltage differential takes the shortest path(s), so it'll just discharge itself p quickly. you are effectively isolated unless you're in between the terminals

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

I'm a college dropout, so I'll believe you.

[–] brianorca@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

People do sometimes get electrocuted in fresh water, but only when a boat in a marina has shore power (120V) and a bad connection of the hot side into the water. This can only occur with shore power, because otherwise the circuit can't leave to boat. It also doesn't occur in salt water because salt conducts electricity better than the human body.

An EV battery might have enough voltage, but the current would prefer to travel directly from - to + on the battery itself. You would have to literally get in the way of that for it to affect your body. Most situations where that could happen, such as touching the electrodes directly, would be almost as dangerous even when you are dry. And again, salt water would conduct it much better than your body, therefore bypassing you, as long as you don't get in the way.