Electrical injury

High school (ages 12+)
Safety & Emergency

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/electrical-injury

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary mechanism?Passage of electric current through biological tissues, causing thermal and cellular damage
2. What is the key determinants of injury?Voltage, current type (AC/DC), pathway, resistance, and duration of exposure
3. What happens when electricity touches my skin?It can burn the skin, make your muscles squeeze, and sometimes hurt your heart or nerves.
4. Why is alternating current (AC) more dangerous than direct current (DC)?AC makes muscles lock together, so you can't let go, and it can make your heart beat badly.

Joule Heating: The process where electrical energy is converted into heat as current flows through resistance.
Muscle Tetany: Involuntary, sustained muscle contraction caused by electrical stimulation, preventing release.
Rhabdomyolysis: The breakdown of muscle tissue that releases damaging proteins into the bloodstream.