Which of the following is a safety hazard of a 12-volt storage battery that lacks internal protection circuitry?

12-volt storage batteries, such as lead-acid or high-capacity lithium batteries, can deliver a massive amount of current very quickly if their terminals are shorted together. Without internal protection circuitry, this unrestricted current flow causes rapid heating of any conductive object that bridges the terminals. This immense heat can cause severe burns, melt tools, ignite nearby combustible materials, or cause the battery itself to rapidly outgas and explode. Touching a 12-volt battery with bare hands will not cause an electrical shock because 12 volts is generally too low to overcome the natural electrical resistance of human skin. Because the shock hazard and RF emission hazard are both false, the only correct hazard is the risk of burns, fire, or explosion from a short circuit.