How Much Current Can The Human Body Withstand? - Science ABC

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It is not the Voltage that can kill humans, it is the current that kills. Humans have died at as low as 42 volts. Time is also a factor. A current of 0.1 ampere for a mere 2 seconds can be fatal. As Voltage = Current x Resistance the current depends on body resistance. The internal resistance between the ears is only 100 ohms, while it is around 500 ohms when measured from finger to toe.

Electric shocks are often depicted in physical comedies, and the plot proceeds as usual: the comic protagonist accidentally gets to a wire without knowing the high current that flows through it. He receives a fatal shock that leads to a stereotypical shimmy, a charred face and hair that ends up like an umbrella turned inwards by the wind.

The question of why this fatal accident is perceived as humorous is disturbing… interesting, but disturbing. A plausible answer can be found here. However, this discourse is irrelevant at the moment. What worries us is why we are not at all insensitive to electricity and how much of it will actually kill us.

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