Living Organism versus Electricity

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the effects of high voltage and current on living organisms, particularly focusing on the hypothetical scenario of exposing an organism to 250,000 Amperes at 1,000,000 Volts. The conversation touches on the biological consequences of electrocution and compares different electrical phenomena.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the effects of extreme electrical exposure on a living organism, suggesting a potential disintegration or scattering of the organism.
  • Another participant asserts that the values mentioned are extremely high and notes that electrocution can lead to nerve damage, cardiac arrest, and burns, indicating that above 10 kV, death is likely in humans, with rare exceptions at higher voltages.
  • A third participant reiterates the dangers of high voltage, emphasizing the importance of amperage in determining the severity of consequences, and introduces a reference to the "hamster-in-microwave" experiment as a point of curiosity.
  • A later reply distinguishes between RF fields and arc discharges, suggesting that their effects on living organisms differ significantly.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the effects of electricity on living organisms, with some agreeing on the dangers of high voltage while others introduce different electrical phenomena and their implications. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific outcomes of the hypothetical scenario presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the dependence on amperage and voltage levels, as well as the differences between types of electrical exposure, indicating that assumptions about the effects may vary based on these factors.

Hypercharge
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I was wondering for quite a while what would happen if you exposed a living organism to electricity of ~250.000 Ampère at 1.000.000 Volts (I'm unsure if the values given are insanely high or not).
Would the organism just end up "everywhere" or something else??
 
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Electrocution can cause nerve damage, stop the heart and burn the organism. The values you have given are insanely high, a bit of googling will show that above 10kv death in humans is highly likely though there are rare records of survival at voltages of over 100kv.
 
Electrocution can cause nerve damage, stop the heart and burn the organism. The values you have given are insanely high, a bit of googling will show that above 10kv death in humans is highly likely though there are rare records of survival at voltages of over 100kv.
That I know.
I've read multiple questions and answers about this topic and of them end like: "high-voltage is dangerous, yes; but it also depends on the amperage (the higher the amperage the server the consequences at lower voltage)".

...what about the hamster-in-microwave experiment?
 
RF fields are very different from arc discharges in their effects.

There's never a thread-closing mod around when you need one.
 

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