Originally Posted by
Birnando
That is basically right.
To put this in easier language:
I can touch the Live and Neutral in a regular outlet. This will hurt, but represents little danger or damage to a healthy person. The reason is that you connect in paralell, and the resistance in your body is really high.
According to Ohm's law, it shows like this:
Voltage/(Apmps*resistance)
This closed circuit has very high resistance and therefore low current.
Now, the real danger is in a regular light switch.
Touching the two wires in one of those, with e.g. a bunch of lightning fixtures attached to it, is a real danger.
That will make a serial connection, and that means that all current in that closed circuit will pass thru you.
Believe you me, you do not wanna try that at home. I've lost 2 colleagues this way, a very nasty way to go...
A current as low as 30mA (that's 0,003A) could be potentially leathal, so beware:)