
Why don't electric fish shock themselves? - andrelaszlo
http://physics.stackexchange.com/q/347/32063
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hcarvalhoalves
The explanation that the Eel doesn't shock itself because it has a larger
resistance than smaller fish probably isn't correct, as it can eletrocute
bigger animals as well, like a gator:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYwE9mNloO8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYwE9mNloO8)

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jbri
The electric eel has lots of insulating fat just under the skin - so it
wouldn't be too much outside the realms of plausibility for it to have higher
electrical resistance than something made primarily of muscle.

Of course, the insulating fat also likely provides a sort of faraday cage
effect - any current that does hit the eel will just flow through its skin
instead of hitting anything important.

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a8da6b0c91d
Why does fat have more electrical resistance than muscle?

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ridgeguy
Fat is a dielectric (electrical insulator). Fatty tissues contain a higher
volume fraction of dielectric (fat) than do muscles, nerves, etc., which are
mostly full of aqueous electrolyte solutions (Na+, K,+, Ca++) which are good
electrical conductors.

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kordless
That's really interesting. I learned something - thanks!

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ZoF
Hehe, I find it ironic(although completely expected) that the stackexchange
users' google search link now results in the stackexchange question itself as
well as this HN discussion as the top results.

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agilebyte
Well, and I find it sad that link #4 takes you to an article that, among other
things, says:

Science continues to show us complexity that defies chance explanations, and
speaks eloquently of the Creator's hand.

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colinbartlett
That drawing is priceless.

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dattaway
I would assume the voltage drop per square inch is effectively minimal. Over
the span of the body, it adds up. The catch is, the fish isn't contorting its
posture to shock itself.

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girvo
Poor small fish :(

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vinchuco
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbkv5xOLvnA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbkv5xOLvnA)

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Samuel_Michon
So, is that how it works for electric sheep as well?

