What occurs when an electrical current passes through the body?

When an electrical current passes through the body, the most accurate term is electric shock. Electric shock occurs when the body becomes part of an electrical circuit, allowing the current to flow through it. This can lead to a variety of physiological effects depending on the intensity and duration of the current, as well as the path it takes through the body.

Electric shock can affect the nervous system, causing muscle contractions, pain, or even loss of consciousness. This phenomenon is not limited to high-voltage scenarios; low-voltage shocks can also produce significant physiological responses. The term captures the immediate and often distressing experience of feeling the current, distinguishing it from outcomes like electrocution, which specifically refers to death caused by electric shock.

The other terms describe specific consequences or types of incidents related to electrical exposure. For instance, while electrocution indicates a fatal outcome from electric shock, cardiac arrest can be a serious complication resulting from an electric shock due to disturbances in the heart's rhythm. Burn injuries may also occur as a result of high current passing through tissues, but these are specific physical injuries that can be part of the broader experience of electric shock.