What is meant by a short circuit?

      Short circuit is a term we hear often, and it is something that is dangerous, for sure. Let’s see what exactly a short circuit is.

       It is a problem that arises when two or more wires in an electrical circuit, that are not supposed to come in contact, touch each other. This action is immediately followed by a very high current flowing through the circuit. This can result in a lot of dangers, like sudden fire, destruction of the components in the circuit, or melting of insulation. Sometimes there can also be an electrical explosion, or what is known as an ‘arc flash’.

            Scary, isn’t it? However, there are fault protection devices like circuit-breakers and fuses that can detect a short circuit.