A short circuit is an electrical circuit produced accidentally when conductors of opposite poles generate a discharge when contact is made.
We have to establish, first of all, that short circuit is a juxtaposed word made up of two terms such as "short" and "circuit":
-Short has its etymological origin in Latin, exactly in the adjective curtus , which can be translated as "cut" or "short."
-Circuit, on the other hand, also derives from Latin. In his case, he does so from the word circuitus , which comes, in turn, from the verb "circumeo" which means "to go around."
What is a short circuit
The notion of short circuit , also accepted as short circuit in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), refers to the electrical circuit that is accidentally produced when conductors of opposite poles come into contact, generating a discharge .
It can be said that a short circuit is a failure that is generated in an electrical line or in a device when two conductors that have different polarities come into contact due to the loss of their insulating coverage. This causes the circuit to also lose its resistance and the balance provided by the so-called Ohm's law .
To avoid damage caused by a short circuit, different safety mechanisms can be used.
The law postulated by Ohm
According to this law postulated by Georg Simon Ohm , the potential difference that is registered at the ends of a certain conductor is proportional to the intensity of the current that circulates through said conductor. The proportionality factor in the relationship between potential difference and intensity is known as electrical resistance .
When the ends without insulating protection of conductors of different polarity are joined, the electrical resistance is canceled and a short circuit occurs, sharply increasing the intensity of the current . There is also an increase in temperature that can even cause a fire .
How to avoid damage caused by short circuits
To avoid damage caused by short circuits, electrical installations can be protected with fuses . This element has a wire or a sheet of metal inside: if the intensity of the electric current suddenly increases, the metal melts, causing the circuit to open.
Another protection mechanism against short circuits are automatic or differential switches, which also open the circuit and prevent the passage of current.
A 1986 film
«Cortocircuito» , finally, is the title in Spanish of a comic science fiction film released in 1986 that revolves around a robot .
John Badham is the director of this science fiction feature film that tells how a robot prototype, which goes by the name of Johny 5, manages to escape from its creators after lightning alters its program and causes it to malfunction. It is a prototype of a robot for military use that, however, its inventor intends to ensure that it has peaceful uses and for the benefit of society.
Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy and Fisher Stevens are some of the actors who lead the cast of this film that had a sequel. This was called "Short Circuit II" , it premiered in 1988 and revolves around toy robots that become a real business for certain dangerous characters.
This second production was directed by Kenneth Johnson and featured actors such as Fisher Stevens, Michael McKean and Cynthia Gibb, among others. Tim Blaney was in charge of voicing Johnny 5, the main robot.