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Multiple Choice

What is the effect of increasing body resistance on the harm caused by an electrical exposure?

The key idea is that the body acts like a resistor in an electrical circuit, so what actually drives harm is the current that travels through the body. For a given supply voltage, increasing the body's resistance reduces the current according to Ohm’s law I = V/R. Since the damage and heating in tissues depend on the current (and I^2R losses), a smaller current means less potential for injury. That’s why raising body resistance tends to lessen the harm from an electrical exposure. In dry or insulated conditions, higher resistance keeps current low and reduces risk; in wet conditions or with good contact, resistance drops and current can rise, increasing danger. The other possibilities don’t fit because harm does not stay the same or vary unpredictably when resistance changes—it typically decreases as resistance increases for a fixed voltage.

The key idea is that the body acts like a resistor in an electrical circuit, so what actually drives harm is the current that travels through the body. For a given supply voltage, increasing the body's resistance reduces the current according to Ohm’s law I = V/R. Since the damage and heating in tissues depend on the current (and I^2R losses), a smaller current means less potential for injury. That’s why raising body resistance tends to lessen the harm from an electrical exposure. In dry or insulated conditions, higher resistance keeps current low and reduces risk; in wet conditions or with good contact, resistance drops and current can rise, increasing danger. The other possibilities don’t fit because harm does not stay the same or vary unpredictably when resistance changes—it typically decreases as resistance increases for a fixed voltage.