# How many people connected in series to power a lightbulb? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586 "2010-02-27T00:29:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/1 "2010-02-27T00:29:58Z")
This sounds like the beginning of a joke, but, given GQ standards, it’s deadly serious. There’s a sole 60-watt light bulb that must be turned on for a minute or everyone will die of fear of darkness. You have insertable single head-plugs, luckily made of lithium, and you have a ton of connection wire. The head of each plug is 2 centimeters in radius. You decide everyone must chip in and give their electroconductive best, and be plugged in in series to generate their share of amps. How many people would be needed to save the day? ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/2 "2010-02-27T00:33:49Z")
How are people, viewed as resistors, supposed to generate power? How are more resistors, connected in series, supposed to be more conductive than one? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/3 "2010-02-27T02:04:06Z")
How about if all of us shuffle our feet on the carpeting, then all touch the lightbulb at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/4 "2010-02-27T02:45:48Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > How about if all of us shuffle our feet on the carpeting, then all touch the lightbulb at the same time? Nice idea, but for a later thread. (Also, the charge generated would not last for that minimum of an hour to prevent mass hysteria.) I’m talking about electrical interaction as a circuit…at least for the time being. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/5 "2010-02-27T02:58:23Z")
I’m having trouble understanding your question. Where is the energy for this circuit supposed to come from? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/6 "2010-02-27T03:04:08Z")
> [@figure9](#): > > I’m having trouble understanding your question. Where is the energy for this circuit supposed to come from? Sweat and blood are slightly acidic, I think. From that, you should be able to make an [electrochemical battery](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_battery) of them… ETA: [http://www.spartechsoftware.com/reeko/experiments/ExpHumanBattery.htm](http://www.spartechsoftware.com/reeko/experiments/ExpHumanBattery.htm) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/7 "2010-02-27T04:25:31Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > How about if all of us shuffle our feet on the carpeting, then all touch the lightbulb at the same time? I can illuminate a flourescent light bulb fairly bright all by myself just by shuffling my feet across the carpeting in an airplane. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/8 "2010-02-27T04:50:08Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > You decide everyone must chip in and give their electroconductive best, and be plugged in in series to generate their share of amps. How many people would be needed to save the day? I don’t really understand your question, but are you sure you mean **series** here? Connecting them in series would give a higher voltage, with the same amps, if they were power sources. Connecting them in **parallel** would give you more amps, with the same voltage. Actually, you’d probably need both parallel and series, to get enough voltage, and enough current without electrocuting someone. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/9 "2010-02-27T04:51:37Z")
> [@tschild](#): > > How are people, viewed as resistors, supposed to generate power? > How are more resistors, connected in series, supposed to be more conductive than one? > [@figure9](#): > > I’m having trouble understanding your question. Where is the energy for this circuit supposed to come from? Paging Professors Wachowski … …Paging Professors Wachowski ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/10 "2010-02-27T06:28:16Z")
It only takes [one person](http://www.doobybrain.com/2008/02/03/electromagnetic-fields-cause-fluorescent-bulbs-to-glow/) in the right place. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/11 "2010-02-27T16:29:01Z")
I was expecting to see a picture of Uncle Fester in this thread by now. [![](http://www.southdacola.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Uncle-Fester.jpg) ](http://www.southdacola.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Uncle-Fester.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/12 "2010-02-27T16:48:56Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > There’s a sole 60-watt light bulb that must be turned on for a \*\*minute \*\*or everyone will die of fear of darkness > [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > (Also, the charge generated would not last for that minimum of an \*\*hour \*\*to prevent mass hysteria.) I think before we can answer your question, you should figure out what you’re asking. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/13 "2010-02-27T18:36:13Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > This sounds like the beginning of a joke, but, given GQ standards, it’s deadly serious. > > There’s a sole 60-watt light bulb that must be turned on for a minute or everyone will die of fear of darkness. You have insertable single head-plugs, luckily made of lithium, and you have a ton of connection wire. The head of each plug is 2 centimeters in radius. > > You decide everyone must chip in and give their electroconductive best, and be plugged in in series to generate their share of amps. How many people would be needed to save the day? Neo will stop you. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/14 "2010-02-28T06:20:28Z")
I remember some experiment in elementary school with a hand-cranked generator of some sort connected to a small lightbulb. Two people touched contacts on the generator, and the rest of the class held hands with them in a big circle. More people = dimmer lightbulb. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/15 "2010-02-28T10:40:57Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > It only takes [one person](http://www.doobybrain.com/2008/02/03/electromagnetic-fields-cause-fluorescent-bulbs-to-glow/) in the right place. Very cool. Is this guy using up energy from those lines? Should the power company send him a bill? Would enough tubes like that cause a black out to the people on the receiving end of those lines? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/16 "2010-02-28T13:00:20Z")
I found this article with a few ideas on getting power from human bodies: [People Power: Capturing The Body’s Energy For Work On and Off Earth](http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/body_power_011128-1.html) ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/17 "2010-02-28T13:52:25Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > Very cool. Is this guy using up energy from those lines? Yes. > [@](#): > > Should the power company send him a bill? No, but that’s just my opinion. > [@](#): > > Would enough tubes like that cause a black out to the people on the receiving end of those lines? No, there’s vastly more power going along the transmission lines than he’s sucking out. Possibly the resistive losses in a short section of the transmission line wires are larger than the amount of power he’s using. ETA: You can see the tree line though the person in the top photo, so that’s a long exposure or a multiple exposure shot. The florescent lights are pretty dim. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/18 "2010-02-28T14:03:10Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > Very cool. Is this guy using up energy from those lines? Should the power company send him a bill? Would enough tubes like that cause a black out to the people on the receiving end of those lines? They’re running on wasted energy–power that’s radiated and lost in transmission, whether it’s used to light up tubes or not. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/19 "2010-02-28T15:56:32Z")
> [@coffeecat](#): > > They’re running on wasted energy–power that’s radiated and lost in transmission, whether it’s used to light up tubes or not. No, the energy transmitted by the power lines flows through the air surrounding the lines, not through the wires. The lights are tapping into this energy, not energy that’s being radiated. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586/20 "2010-02-28T16:49:04Z")
I’m going to go the battery power route. Assuming a 60W incandescent bulb we need 120V and 0.5 Amps. Each human cell would consist of lithium/human/copper hook-up wire. Assuming each cell could produce 1.5V we would need 80 people to get 120V. The 1.5V figure is totally made up since I have no idea how much voltage a lithium/person/copper battery cell would have. Now we need current. From Sage Rat’s link I think the best we could hope for would be 100 microAmps per cell. That means we would need to have 5000 people to supply enough current. I’m not an engineer or scientist BTW, so my logic and math are likely wrong. Still that’s my best guess. Also isn’t lithium highly reactive? Could people hold it in their hands or have it plugged into them? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-connected-in-series-to-power-a-lightbulb/530586.md?page=2)