How much is a fatal electrical current?

Answer 1

Yes, electricity can kill you. It had been used semi-frequently when executing prisoners in the States that were on death row. Depending on factors involved it can cause life-threatening irregular heart rhythms which can lead to a fatality.

At higher amounts of voltage it can have other drastic effects on the body.

Answer 2

When you are touching a conductor that is in contact with high voltage electricity you can get electrocuted.

If you don't know exactly what the voltage is, you must always assume it is high enough to kill you!

When working with electricity, ALWAYS take proper care to find out exactly what you should be doing! It is also dangerous if it is wet. As little as 10 milli-amps across the heart can kill most people. There have been reports of low resistance sources of around 32 volts causing death.

Answer 3

When electricity enters your body it contracts your muscles, causing you to suffocate.

It takes three things for you to be electrocuted:

1. amount of current - as little as 50 mA can kill

2. path of current - current through one finger and out another is usually not fatal, but current through your chest can be

3. duration - the longer you are part of the circuit, the greater your chances of dieing

Enough current through your chest will cause your heart to go into fibrillation, restrict breathing, or cause internal organ burns. If enough current travels through one of your limbs and exits without going into your chest, a portion or all of that limb could be blown off and then you could die from shock.

Another danger is arc blast and and arc flash, which occur when there is a short circuit. The flash can be hotter than the sun, causing burns to large portions of your body. The arc blast is the pressure wave that is released when the electrical equipment explodes, enough pressure to put you deaf and collapse your lungs.

All electrical work can be extremely dangerous if the person doing the work is not qualified.

The National Electrical Code defines a "qualified person" as "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."

For your own safety, call a qualified licensed electrician.

Answer 4

Electric current causes death by disrupting the regular beating of our heart. A very small amount of current is needed for the current to be conducted all around our body. However, our skin has very high resistance to electricity (I remember it is over 100,000 ohms) so we do not get the shock. When our skin is wet, the resistivity of our skin drops to merely a few hundred ohms. According to the formula V=IR, where V is voltage in volts, I is current in ampheres, R is resistance in ohms, we will be more prone to electric shocks.

Answer 5

Less than 1/2 milliamp no sensation, 1/2 to 2 milliamps threshold of perception, 2 to 10 milliamps muscular contraction, 5 to 25 milliamps painful shock (may not be able to let go), over 25 milliamps could be violent muscular contraction, 50 to 100 milliamps ventricular fibrillation and over 100 paralysis of breathing.

Answer 6

Milliamp dangerous

Less than 1/2 milliamp no sensation
1/2 to 2 milliamps Threshold of perception
2 to 10 milliamps muscular contraction
5 to 25 milliamps painful shock (may not be able to let go)
Over 25 milliamps Could be violent muscular contraction
50 to 100 milliamps Ventricular fibrillation
over 100 paralysis of breathing.

Answer 7

The following list is the tolerances that the body can stand.

Less than 1/2 milliamp no sensation
1/2 to 2 milliamps, threshold of perception
2 to 10 milliamps, muscular contraction
5 to 25 milliamps, painful shock (may not be able to let go)
Over 25 milliamps, could be violent muscular contraction
50 to 100 milliamps, ventricular fibrillation
over 100 milliamps, paralysis of breathing and possible death.

Answer 8

It is any current of amplitude sufficient to terminate life functions.