Final answer:
Thermal hazards and electrical shocks are significant physical threats to people. Thermal hazards occur due to excessive electric power causing undesired thermal effects, such as starting a fire. Electrical shocks occur when an electric current passes through a person, with severity depending on various factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thermal hazards and electrical shocks are significant physical threats to people.
- Thermal hazards: These occur when excessive electric power causes undesired thermal effects, such as starting a fire. An example of a thermal hazard is a short circuit, which is a low-resistance path between terminals of a voltage source.
- Electrical shocks: These occur when an electric current passes through a person. The severity of shocks depends on factors such as current, path, duration, and AC frequency. Shocks can range from painful but harmless to heart-stoppingly lethal.