Wet Location Body Resistance

mapj1:

Of course in reality getting a person wet only alters their surface resistance, the moisture levels of internal organs is not significantly affected. Therefore the effect of being coated in sweat or sea water is more akin to a dry contact over a larger contact area, but as the entry and exit wounds indicate, most of the heat, and so most of the resistance, is where the current path breaks the epidermis.

Once charring starts the resistance drops sharply, by providing cooling and improving the contact, water may reduce this surface burning effect at the penalty of a higher initial current. None of this is good.

Mike, I think that you meant that the resistance goes up when charring starts. However, by that stage, I don't think that it matters anymore. If we are to be really gruesome, in a wet location, e.g. swimming pool, the effect will be more like stewing than barbecuing. Unfortunately, the lethal current is likely to have stopped the heart long before this occurs.

mapj1:

Of course in reality getting a person wet only alters their surface resistance, the moisture levels of internal organs is not significantly affected. Therefore the effect of being coated in sweat or sea water is more akin to a dry contact over a larger contact area, but as the entry and exit wounds indicate, most of the heat, and so most of the resistance, is where the current path breaks the epidermis.

Once charring starts the resistance drops sharply, by providing cooling and improving the contact, water may reduce this surface burning effect at the penalty of a higher initial current. None of this is good.

Mike, I think that you meant that the resistance goes up when charring starts. However, by that stage, I don't think that it matters anymore. If we are to be really gruesome, in a wet location, e.g. swimming pool, the effect will be more like stewing than barbecuing. Unfortunately, the lethal current is likely to have stopped the heart long before this occurs.