What range of electric current generally causes death?

• A. 10 to 20 milliamperes
• B. 50 to 70 milliamperes
• C. 100 to 200 milliamperes
• D. 300 to 400 milliamperes

Answer: (C)

Current through the chest is what makes shocks deadly, because the heart’s rhythm can be knocked off and lead to ventricular fibrillation, a chaotic heartbeat that often proves fatal without immediate treatment. Around 100 milliamperes of alternating current passing through the chest is enough to disrupt the heart’s electrical signals, making death a real risk during typical exposure. The danger increases with more current and longer exposure, and wet skin lowers resistance, pushing more current through the body. Lower currents produce painful but usually nonlethal shocks, while much higher currents can cause immediate collapse and other injuries, but the range around 100–200 milliamperes is especially associated with lethal outcomes in common AC shocks.