How many amps will kill a human?

Answer 1

The short answer is it depends, the long answer is more complicated....

First thing to say is that it is not the volts that are fatal in an electric shock, it is the amps. To make an analogy between electricity and water being pumped through a pipe the voltage is the strength of the pump and the amps are the volume of water (or slightly less accurately the thickness of the pipe). Hence the voltage is how much the electricity is being 'pushed' and the amps are the actual 'amount' of electricity.

It is for this reason that while tazer guns deliver a shock with a power of 10,000 volts they are generally not fatal because they deliver very few amps, while home circuits have much lower voltages (110v US, 230v/240v in Europe/UK) they are capable of delivering much higher ampages and can therefore be fatal and extremely damaging to the human body. They are also capable of pushing electricity through many other substances, such as air meaning direct contact with them isn't always needed.

This said technically a shock of .1 amps can be fatal is applied directly to the heart as it will cause it to stop beating, it can also have the opposite effect and cause it to start beating again (hence defribulation). To put that in context in the UK home socket circuits are rated at 32 to 45 amps and cooker circuits are generally rated at 45amps.

The other major risk of high amps however is that when electricity passes through a substance it creates heat. The higher the amps the higher the potential heat the current will generate and the longer you are part of the circuit the closer to that potential heat you will become. So the dangers of an electric shock on the typical amps found in a home are instant cardiac arrest or deep full thickness burns and internal organ damage as the electrical current literally cooks you from the inside.

As for shocks from powerlines, well they have massive voltages (meaning they can push the electricity along way through the air) and massive amperage meaning they will burn you (cook you more actually) very very quickly leading to massive tissue damage meaning even if your heart isn't stopped or you are revived after the shock you will still probably die from the burns and organ failure.

Answer 2

65 milliampères (65 mA = 0.065 A) is life-threatening when the current goes through the heart. When the current doesn't pass through the heart, the current still may be life-threatening when it destroys other organs and limbs.

Here is a description of amperages and how they affect the body: remember-1/10th of 1 amp will stop your heart

0.100-0.200 AMPERES (DEATH) THIS RANGE GENERALLY CAUSES FIBRILLATION OF THE HEART. WHEN THE HEART IS IN THIS CONDITION, IT VIBRATES AT A FAST RATE LIKE A "QUIVER" AND CEASES TO PUMP BLOOD TO THE REST OF THE BODY.

0.060-0.100 AMPERES (EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING)

0.040-0.060 AMPERES (BREATHING DIFFICULTY)

0.030-0.040 AMPERES (MUSCULAR PARALYSIS)

0.020-0.030 AMPERES (UNABLE TO LET GO OF THE CIRCUIT)

0.010-0.020 AMPERES (VERY PAINFUL)

0.009-0.010 AMPERES (MODERATE SENSATION)

0.002-0.003 AMPERES (SLIGHT TINGLING SENSATION.

Answer 3

Its not the volts that kill you ,its the amperage.

Answer 4

1.21 jiggawatts.