• Question: When people die of electric shocks what kills them current or voltage?

    Asked by danrumford to Cat, Daz, Holly, Johnson, Pamela on 18 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Holly Shelton

      Holly Shelton answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi Dan

      The current is the amount of electricity (so the number of electrons flowing) and the voltageis the force of the electrons (so how fast they are going). I have been reliably informed by my husband who is also a scientist that it is the current that can kill you as this is what forces your heart to malfunction. If you had lots of electrons but they are going really slowly you would be okay but a few really fast disrupts your heart.

      Thanks for the question

      Holly

    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Oh jeez Dan, I’m not totally sure. (I must come across as an awful dummy in some of these questions since I know so few answers)

      I think that the current flows through the body but it’s the voltage of the current that kills a person. Like, from my own experience, when you touch an electric fence (and I’ve done this A LOT), the current passes through you but obviously doesn’t kill you 😀 so I think it’ll all depend on the voltage!

      But maybe one of the other scientists may have a better answer for this?

      Sorry I’m not more informed,

      Cat

      P.S. If in a movie, someone is put to death by the electric chair, I cannot watch it. It freaks me out far too much. Maybe that is why I don’t know more about it!

    • Photo: Johnson Soronnadi

      Johnson Soronnadi answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi Danrumford,

      This question really blew my mind away.
      I am not really sure, but experience has shown that it is the voltage that actually kills. Current is the quantity of electrons but need a force(voltage) to move to cause serious harm. These electrons can be made to move very fast or very slow depending on the amount of voltage input. Current flows in every live wire depending on the amount of voltage you can get a slight electric shock (low voltage) and get electrocuted and die instantly (at high voltage).
      If I may ask you, Danrumford have you observed that high tension wires are constructed high in the air and far-away from residential areas and warning not build house close to it. The obvious reason is because these wires carry high voltage current, which can kill instantly.

      I think the voltage determines the rate of flow of the current which kills. At a low voltage the current will be low (can cause injury) and may not be to cause more harm, but kills at high voltages. The amount of voltage determines how fast the current be to kill.

      Maybe this question can give you more clue. Is the car or the driver that kills?

      I think this helps.

      Johnson.

    • Photo: Pamela Lithgow

      Pamela Lithgow answered on 18 Jun 2011:

      Another good question Dan!
      I think the other scientist have answered it very well for you and I have even learnt something!
      Pam 🙂

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