# Which is a correct term-'Voltage shock' or 'current shock' or 'Power shock'?

Wikipedia says that,

Electric shock is the physiological reaction or injury caused by electric current passing through the (human) body.

An electric shock is caused by amount of current for a duration of $time$ and $voltage$. All these variables are used in calculating $Electric\,Power$.

$Electric-shock$ is a correct term but usually we hear the term $Voltage\,shock$. Is $Power \,shock$ or $current\,shock$ not a correct term?

Or am I totally wrong in my interpretation?

• I've never heard the term voltage shock, or the others you mention. I suppose that they mean the same thing, but you should read the context carefully in order to figure out what a particular author means. – garyp Sep 6 '16 at 1:51

## 1 Answer

Perception of the effects of electric shock correlates well with the amount of current passing through the body for relatively low alternating frequencies (which for direct current is zero frequency). (See, for instance: http://www.studyphysics.ca/30/shocking.pdf) The human body is approximately a bag of sea water and most of the resistance to current flow comes from the skin. Higher voltage applied to the skin means higher current passing through the body. With voltage, current and resistance there is power. Therefore all three (power, current and voltage) are present and required to feel electric shock. In order to feel electric shock, ions must cross membranes in the nerves. An applied voltage "pushes" on the ions causing them to move. At sufficiently high alternating frequencies, the ions begin to just jiggle back and forth and fewer will cross the membrane. At 400kHz you can hold a piece of metal in your hand and draw a spark to it that will light paper on fire in seconds, yet feel nothing at all (I show this demo every year in science presentations). What you have to worry about with high frequencies is heating yourself up, which is more related to the power.