Chapter 34, Problem 52A

If current of one- or two-tenths of an ampere were to flow into one of your hands and out the other, you would probably be electrocuted. But if the same current were to flow into your hand and out the elbow above the same hand, you could survive, even though the current might be large enough to burn your flesh. Explain.

To determine

To find: Whether there is any possibility of survival if the current flows into a person’s hand out to the elbow.

Explanation of Solution

Our heart and nervous system work on the electrical signal. When the current flows through the body, it disturbs the signaling system and heart start malfunctioning which can kill a person.

When current flows into a person’s hand out to the elbow, the electric field is setup only in that region. This is very much distant form the heart, and there is a major chance of survival even if the current is severe enough to burn the flesh.