If copper conducts electricity, why are copper roofs and statues safe in thunderstorms?

[Kelly6]

[RavVid]

Safe is a relative word. Safe, safer, safest.

Generally lightning will strike an elevated point at earth potential such as a tree. If a metal roof is earthed adequately it won't reach a high voltage but there will be some.

When lightning strikes open ground, there can be thousands of volts at the distance your feet are apart so you are not safe barefoot in the park.

People have died from being electrocuted by 12V batteries. It is current that kills not voltage - from memory, 5 micro amperes through the heart can do it. A higher voltage will put more current through your body is the relationship.

In my locale, building codes do not require domestic metal roofs to be grounded.

A car is a pretty safe place to be because it is a Faraday cage but you might need to wait for the car to discharge and not touch the metal.

[CaptainObivous]

Copper roofs and statues are safe because copper does not attract lightning, and when a strike does occur, the metal safely conducts and dissipates the electrical energy down into the ground rather than trapping or exploding it.

[Ill_made_Knight]

They are bonded to ground so that the lightning strike willl merely pass through. Copper allows energy to pass through with almost no resistance. I, as a wet meat puppet also conduct energy fairly well but not as well as copper. there is resistance. The resistance is what generates heat, so people do survive being struck sometimes but are burned and quite probably given a swift re-boot... hard reset...

[Lliam]

The copper is grounded. Electricity safely passes through it and into the ground.

[Nikki1989]

Copper conducts electricity extremely well, but being a good conductor doesn't necessarily make something more likely to be struck by lightning.

[LunarEclipse433]

Copper is a great conductor. Most metal roofs and statues have lightning protection. That is a system designed to allow the lightning voltage to travel semi safely to a ground causing minimal damage. However, lightning does always follow the rules. One building we built had a lightning strike. The lightning cable didn't follow a downward slope in one area exiting through the lay in ceiling and destroyed a guys desk.

[Shiprex]

The copper allows an easy pathway for the electric current to pass to EARTH (literally the planet) so that it can discharge the atmosphere in electrical storms

[SamIam96]

A typical lightning strike is 300 million volts. At that level, virtually everything conducts.

[LiamS95]

Just about everything conducts electricity some elements more then others silver & gold being the best and yes copper is a great conductor but so is aluminum, salt water, blood, iron and many many more.

[abc3643]

They're not "safe" as in immune from lightning strikes.

[Stormy_Moon]

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[Paige2006]

Copper roofs and statues are safe during thunderstorms because metal does not attract lightning.

[Iron_Man]

They shouldn’t build copper Roofs. Kelly, my roof is put on my house in 1993. I hope I don’t have to get a new roof. They’re very expensive. 😳

[exitseven]

a roof should last about 30 years. You are getting to the end of the line.

[Iron_Man]

@exitseven I know, but I don’t wanna pay $30,000 for a roof if doesn’t need to be fixed right now

[exitseven]

@Iron_Man it will n0t be that much.

[Hanrej]

Because they're grounded. Metal component in a house are connected to gound and some even to a lightning rod.

[msc545]

Roofs and statues aren't connected to anything that can conduct electricity, except perhaps anti-lightning rods and things of that sort.

[exitseven]

they have lightning rods installed.

[_Jenny_]

@Kelly6 I’m not sure if it’s safe

[Ariesman81Nshiiit]

Insulation from ground

[Danny_dan92]

They likely have insulation underneath

[DgBootley1]

Earthed