Electrocution

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/electrocution

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 physiological danger?Ventricular fibrillation and disruption of neural pathways
2. What is the key factors influencing severity?Current intensity, voltage, duration, path through the body, and current type (AC/DC)
3. Why can even a small amount of electricity be dangerous?A small current, like 10-20 milliamperes, can stop the heart if it goes through the chest. Wet skin or long contact lets more current flow, making it even more dangerous.
4. How does the type of current (AC vs DC) affect the danger?AC can make muscles spasm and is more likely to stop the heart, while DC can give a strong muscle pull and burn the skin.

Ventricular Fibrillation: A chaotic, ineffective quivering of the heart's lower chambers, often fatal.
Alternating Current (AC): Electric current that periodically reverses direction, commonly used in homes.
Direct Current (DC): Electric current that flows in only one direction, used in batteries and some electronics.