Electrocution of the Human Body

Man being electrocuted: funny picture - RF Cafe Physiological effects of current density on the human body are shown in the table below. Contrary to popular belief, it is the current - not the voltage - level which is responsible for effects. According to Ohm's Law, of course, a certain voltage is required to cause the necessary currents to flow. Values show vary depending on the body.

Personally, I have been hit with 480 V while working on a 3-phase industrial motor connection. It didn't feel good.

See article on shock level versus pain level from Discover magazine.

The following table of quantity of electrical current and its effect on men and women is from work done by the inventor of the Ground Fault Interrupter circuit, Charles Dalziel.

Effect	Direct Current (mA)		Alternating Current (mA)
	Direct Current (mA)		60-Cycles		10,000 Cycles
	Men (mA)	Women (mA)	Men (mA)	Women (mA)	Men (mA)	Women (mA)
Slight sensation on hand	1	0.6	0.4	0.3	7	5
Perception threshold, median	5.2	3.5	1.1	0.7	12	8
Shock - not painful and muscular control not lost	9	6	1.8	1.2	17	11
Painful shock - muscular control lost by ½%	62	41	9	6	55	37
Painful shock - let-go threshold, median	76	51	16	10.5	75	50
Painful and severe shock - breathing difficult, muscular control lost by 99½%	90	60	23	15	94	63
Possible ventricular fibrillation Three-second shocks Short shocks (T in seconds) High voltage surges * Energy in watt-seconds	500 50	500 50	100 165√T 13.6*	100 165√T 13.6*

Table retrieved from the "Deleterious Effects of Electric Shock," by Professor Charles Dalziel, 1961.

Current Level (mA)	Effect
1	Threshold of sensation
8	Mild sensation
10	Painful
13	Cannot let go
21	Muscular paralysis
20	Severe shock
38	Breathing labored
42	Breathing upset
70	Extreme breathing difficulties
90	Ventricular fibrillation
100	Death

Above is the original table for this page.

Posted April 26, 2004

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