Is Your Body Conductive to Electricity

In the human body, the outsides of the cells are slightly positively charged and the insides are negatively charged for sodium, potassium, and other ions. For this reason, your body is conductive to electricity. However, the human skin has resistance to current flow.

Also, if you have any significant physical damages, such as cuts, abrasions, or burns where the inside of the body and ions can easily be exposed, act as a good conductor to electric current. 

Is Your Body Conductive to Electricity

If I say you are using electricity for reading this article, you will believe it for sure. Computers or wi-fi, of course, they need electricity but I’m talking about something else, it’s your brain! Electrical signals produced by the brain and running through our bodies control and enable everything we do.

But how does your body produce and use electricity? Is your body conductive to electricity? Since human bodies have huge masses of atoms, we can generate electricity and that’s also the reason your body is a good conductor to electricity.

How Does Your Body Loose Resistance

For example, if you are immersed in water or wet, your body will act like a better conductor of electricity. Rapid application of voltage to an area of the skin or breaking down the skin with a higher voltage of 500V or more can also reduce the skin’s resistance to electricity.

How External Current Affect Your Body

Different amount of electric current affects our body in various ways. A study on the estimated effects of 60 Hz AC currents on human bodies shows, that 1 milliampere is barely perceptible to us whereas 16 milliampere current is the maximum amount that an average man can grasp and let go of the source.

For fatal injuries, more than 16 milliamperes current is needed. 20 milliamperes current can paralyze the respiratory muscles. 2 A current can cause internal organ damage and cardiac standstill. These amounts are too little compared to the common fuse breakers as they are rated with 15/20 A.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much electricity can the human body produce?

Scientists agree that the human body can produce approximately 100 watts of power when at rest. This is enough power to light a light bulb. Some humans are capable of producing more than 2,000 watts of power, such as when sprinting.

Final Statement

Is your body conductive to electricity? As now you know the answer to this question is a big YES, take proper caution when working with electric elements. Use rubber gloves while handling wires or working with electric lines.