Question

The damage caused by electric shock depends on the current flowing through the body; 1 mA can be felt and 5 mA is painful. Above 15 mA, a person loses muscle control, and 70 mA can be fatal. A person with dry skin has a resistance from one arm to the other of about 1.1 × 105 Ω. When skin is wet, the resistance drops to about 5400 Ω. What is the minimum voltage placed across the arms that would produce a current that could be felt by a person with dry skin? Answer in units of V.

Answer 1

Answer: $V_{min} = 110 V$

Explanation:

Voltage is calculated by Ohm's Law:

$V_{min} = i_{min} \cdot R_{dry}\\V_{min} = (0.001 A)\cdot(1.1 \times 10^5 \Omega)\\V_{min} = 110 V$