What is the Amount of Current the Human can Survive?

Most recent answer: 08/25/2009

Q:
What is the amount of current the human can survive ?
- Sasmit (age 17)
Bargarh,Orissa,India
A:
Not much, but the answer is complicated because of the types of current and where it passes though the body.   A current of 1 mA through the heart is enough to send it into fibrillation and death if not treated immediately.  On the other hand a current of 1 Ampere for a short period of time through the arm or hand may only cause a lot of pain and a foul odor of burning flesh.  AC current seems to be more dangerous than DC current.  I don't know why. 
A decent description can be found at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_shock

LeeH
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(published on 08/25/2009)