sciencenerd
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2013
- Messages
- 7
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2015
thanks
-
Looking for HSC notes and resources? Check out our Notes & Resources page
Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the body? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sciencenerd
- Start date
Squar3root
realest nigga
rumbleroar
Survivor of the HSC
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2011
- Messages
- 2,271
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2014
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
AC disrupts the heart rhythms and is much more likely to cause electrocution/heart problems than DC if I recall correctly.
Also if you think about how the AC moves (goes back and forth, essentially), that constant alternating movement delivers more current/voltage to the body than DC, which is more damaging because it can also cause electrical burns, etc.
AC disrupts the heart rhythms and is much more likely to cause electrocution/heart problems than DC if I recall correctly.
Also if you think about how the AC moves (goes back and forth, essentially), that constant alternating movement delivers more current/voltage to the body than DC, which is more damaging because it can also cause electrical burns, etc.
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
One is definitely more dangerous than the other (relates to the Edison vs Westinghouse electrical debate)
Last edited:
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
secondly; i reiterate my point that both are quite dangerous and possibly fatal. Edison was purely doing it for self interest and economic gains insisting that AC is more dangerous so that is "DC power" will prevail to win a contract to supply the cities with electricity.
why don't you hook yourself up to a DC car battery and tell me it isn't dangerous.
firstly; if you learnt this debate correctly it was Westinghouse and Edison. Einstein has nothing to do with electricity in terms of the physics syllabus and is purely focused on relativity and the space topic and a bit of q2q.
secondly; i reiterate my point that both are quite dangerous and possibly fatal. Edison was purely doing it for self interest and economic gains insisting that AC is more dangerous so that is "DC power" will prevail to win a contract to supply the cities with electricity.
why don't you hook yourself up to a DC car battery and tell me it isn't dangerous.
Last edited:
Kurosaki
True Fail Kid
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
I think it was Edison not Westinghouse claiming AC was more dangerous.
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
I have corrected the above for accuracy
furthermore; they are both dangerous in their own right
my apologies; I miss-typed. Edison (in favour for DC) insisted that AC was more dangerous for his self-interest.
I have corrected the above for accuracy
furthermore; they are both dangerous in their own right
Last edited:
anomalousdecay
Premium Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Messages
- 5,769
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2013
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
What squareroot said sums it up. AC and DC are proportionally the same. Both high voltages and high current are dangerous. Either way the voltage drop across your body will be a function of the supply and resistance of the body. You can't say one or the other unless given info about power and resistance of the body. It also depends on the resistance internally of the source.
However,as RR said AC interferes with heart pulses, hence being prone to instant deaths.
I have indeed myself almost been burnt with a car battery when I set the voltmeter to low resistance. Put it back to high resistance and all good again.
What squareroot said sums it up. AC and DC are proportionally the same. Both high voltages and high current are dangerous. Either way the voltage drop across your body will be a function of the supply and resistance of the body. You can't say one or the other unless given info about power and resistance of the body. It also depends on the resistance internally of the source.
However,as RR said AC interferes with heart pulses, hence being prone to instant deaths.
I have indeed myself almost been burnt with a car battery when I set the voltmeter to low resistance. Put it back to high resistance and all good again.
someth1ng
Retired Nov '14
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
Let's not forget that there is a current as a result of voltage - so it's pretty useless to say that current or voltage kills you - V=IR - higher voltage means higher current. It's a bit like me dropping cyanide in someone's tea and saying that I didn't kill him, the cyanide did.
Let's not forget that there is a current as a result of voltage - so it's pretty useless to say that current or voltage kills you - V=IR - higher voltage means higher current. It's a bit like me dropping cyanide in someone's tea and saying that I didn't kill him, the cyanide did.
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
are you proud of me
i didn't go off-topic in this thread
are you proud of me
someth1ng
Retired Nov '14
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
In terms of which one is more dangerous, it's very subjective and personally, I think it's a rather stupid argument to have - it's like asking whether it's more dangerous to take a capsule of uranium or thallium.
After you get about 10 mA across your body (maybe 15 V or so), you may die.
In terms of AC or DC, it's very situational - they have different effects and in some situations, AC will kill you but in others, DC will kill you but in most situations, both will kill you.
In terms of which one is more dangerous, it's very subjective and personally, I think it's a rather stupid argument to have - it's like asking whether it's more dangerous to take a capsule of uranium or thallium.
After you get about 10 mA across your body (maybe 15 V or so), you may die.
In terms of AC or DC, it's very situational - they have different effects and in some situations, AC will kill you but in others, DC will kill you but in most situations, both will kill you.
Last edited:
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
#2K posts
#2K posts
sciencenerd
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2013
- Messages
- 7
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2015
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
i understand that in AC, the shock comes back to attack you
BUT to clarify, is any of this related to frequency? coz in the textbook it mentions AC as 50HZ per second (no mention of DC??) that means the DC frequency is lower???????????????????????????????????????????????????? and btw does the sinusoidal shape of the AC voltage graph have anything to do with this because it's mentioned in the textbook but I can't seem to comprehend its relevance to this
i. am. soooooooooooo00000. confused...........................................
i understand that in AC, the shock comes back to attack you
BUT to clarify, is any of this related to frequency? coz in the textbook it mentions AC as 50HZ per second (no mention of DC??) that means the DC frequency is lower???????????????????????????????????????????????????? and btw does the sinusoidal shape of the AC voltage graph have anything to do with this because it's mentioned in the textbook but I can't seem to comprehend its relevance to this
i. am. soooooooooooo00000. confused...........................................
Last edited:
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
you don't need to know that. leave that to the electrical engineers (*errrrehum* AD*errrrehum*)
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
Oh yeah Edison**
So both are dangerous in that they can cause electrocution, but AC seems more dangerous based off what rumbleroar said about? Is this correct?
Oh yeah Edison**
So both are dangerous in that they can cause electrocution, but AC seems more dangerous based off what rumbleroar said about? Is this correct?
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
So both are dangerous in their own rights; you cannot definitively say one is more dangerous than the other. Is this correct? I'm just confused because people always talk about this type of stuff. No need to be hasty to end discussion
So both are dangerous in their own rights; you cannot definitively say one is more dangerous than the other. Is this correct? I'm just confused because people always talk about this type of stuff. No need to be hasty to end discussion
Squar3root
realest nigga
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
not being hasty; it's just that you keep insisting that one is more dangerous than the other which is not true. both are dangerous in their own right
people talk about this stuff because there is more to life than gossip
preciselySo both are dangerous in their own rights; you cannot definitively say one is more dangerous than the other. Is this correct? I'm just confused because people always talk about this type of stuff. No need to be hasty to end discussion
not being hasty; it's just that you keep insisting that one is more dangerous than the other which is not true. both are dangerous in their own right
people talk about this stuff because there is more to life than gossip
anomalousdecay
Premium Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Messages
- 5,769
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2013
Re: Why is it current that kills? Why is AC more dangerous than DC - damage to the bo
Yes they are both dangerous and you need properties of the material and source. Lets just say complex numbers may get involved in these calculations as the body may have capacitances or inductance in frequency domain. However proportionallu they are the same.
Science nerd there is no such thing as dc frequency!!!!!
The frequency of ac just affects heart pulses. It doesn' "come back" to shock you. It isn't electroman (me)
They both can burn and kill you trust me I have experience with almost being burnt.
Yes they are both dangerous and you need properties of the material and source. Lets just say complex numbers may get involved in these calculations as the body may have capacitances or inductance in frequency domain. However proportionallu they are the same.
Science nerd there is no such thing as dc frequency!!!!!
The frequency of ac just affects heart pulses. It doesn' "come back" to shock you. It isn't electroman (me)
They both can burn and kill you trust me I have experience with almost being burnt.