Answer to Question #197841 in Electric Circuits for Nevil T. Dev

Question

What causes electric shock...high electric current or high voltage

Answer 1

Explanation

• Electric potential is the energy needed to move electric charges.
• When enough electric potential is applied across a device (which contains some resistance) a current corresponding to the available conditions tends to flow through it.
• Therefore, whether high current or low current, it is determined secondly, what really counts is the electric potential.

• That is the relationship between the things.

• Human body has electric conductivity along with some resistance.
• It can sense only the current flowing through the body not the voltage across it.
• The sensation of a shock is therefore due to the amount of current flowing through the body.

• Therefore, when it is asked "What causes electric shock ?", it questions about the sensation, which is due to the high enough current ("high enough" is because human body senses above a threshold value of current).