What Actually Happens When You Get Electrocuted

You've seen it in cartoons, but what actually happens when you get electrocuted? Most of the cases we call “electrocutions” are actually electric shocks: an electric current running through a body. Whether an electric shock becomes an electrocution actually depends on the nature of the current involved! Want to learn more? Join Hank for an electrifying new episode of SciShow!

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[joshlobsenz]

"In a healthy person, stopping the heart is obviously very, very bad." Learn something new every day

[AndeeRoemoe]

I'm an apprentice electrician and have been shocked a good amount of times already. Thanks for clearing up why I'm not dying!

[marighost_]

That's cool and all but can I redirect lightning like General Iroh?

[killercaos]

Electricity
Can't live with it, can't live without it.

[oskarblom]

One part about the muscle contractions is that if you hold a object in your hand and you get shocked from it you will grip it harder. In other words if you grab something that hold a current you might not be able to let go of it.
This was one of the first warnings I got from my education as an electrician and while you should never fiddle around with electricity unless you are absolute sure what you are doing, it might be good to have in the back of your head.

In other words just one more reason to not touching exposed cables and similar things.

[uniwasamistake]

Got shocked in a wet bathroom once. I was unplugging some electric stuff and my arm just jolted as the lights went out. Arm was paraliyzed for a few minutes and got ok eventually.

Then casually bathed in the dark while everyone else in my family wondered why the breaker suddenly operated. This experience made me respect electricians&electrictity in general.

[IceMetalPunk]

I was electrified once, when I was a kid (maybe in my early teens or tween years?). I was unplugging one of those little plug-in air fresheners, and as I did, my finger slipped and touched the metal prongs while they were still halfway inside the outlet. My hand cramped/contracted painfully and it felt like the entire thing was vibrating in the two seconds before I dropped it.

Another time, I wanted to see if the general advice to not stick things in an outlet was realistic. (I was a curious, yet risky, child.) So I stuck metal tweezers into one, with both arms of the tweezers in different outlet holes. Of course, this completed the circuit... I didn't get electrified (luckily!), but there was a huge spark and a loud "CRACK!" and I jumped out of my skin. The outlet... was ruined. I never told my mom what happened, but a few days later she tried to plug something in and was like, "Why isn't this working?" I just shrugged.

Long story short: I am a curious person and I was a risky child and I love electricity.

[benjaminwessel]

I’m shocked at how informative this is.

[davidschartung]

Wow that pipe analogy is absolutely beautiful

[Irate_Beau]

no matter how many videos i watch explaining how electricity works, it's still basically magic to me.
but im still fascinated by electricity.

[pianomews]

Short Answer: You die.
Long Answer: *this video*

[SammyJ_Studios]

When I was little and my grandparents were moving, they didn't have the covers on the new light switches yet. I tried to turn on a light in the dark and stuck my finger in the open socket instead. It didn't hurt me but it made me scream and cry.

[AustriaTV]

Why did I get an ad to switch my electricity provider lol

[robertpoole]

When was the first usage of that cartoonic thing? It's a really weird idea, and I wonder what went through the animator's head when they drew it like that.

[BlakieTT]

I think you'll find the answer shoc... nvm.

[ximenaa.]

"Death by electric shock"
Me: oh that explains a lot

[LordVittaminn]

I'm glad he mentioned that its not just the amount of current that contributes to a lethal shock, but also the amount of voltage and the resistance of your body. I've seen so many arguments about whether current or voltage is the killer - its BOTH! The just put "Danger High Voltage" warning signs on power sources because that's easily recognized by the average person.

500 volts is considered high voltage, but a static shock has anywhere between 25, 000 and 50, 000 volts... but practically no current! That's why it doesn't kill you; it doesn't have enough current and your body has hundreds of thousands of ohms of resistance on average! Well done, SciShow!

[OMalleyTheMaggot]

When I was in elementary school the water fountain shocked me so hard I lost vision for a moment and fell on my ass. As much as I tried with other students I could not get it to shock again, I still have no idea what the hell that was about.

[hackebeilchen]

It would have been cool if you talked about the differences with AC and DC when getting an electric shock. And the different symptoms one could develop.

[minecraftfirefighter]

You forgot to mention ac/DC that also makes a difference.