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Asked by aileenjcat to Colin, John, Kevin, Shikha, Triona on 12 Nov 2014.
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Kevin Motherway answered on 12 Nov 2014:
Depending on how you are struck the injuries can be quite minor. There’s a National Park Ranger in the US who was struck 7 times on separate occasions. If the current flowing is small and brief it may actually just flow across the surface of your body and burst blood vessels in flower like bruises but cause no real damage. If however it flows through your core it can interefere with all YOUR electrical systems like your nervous system and could stop your heart or even boil fluids or cause the air in your lungs to expand so rapidly it explodes your lungs. Not always fatal, but not to be recommended.
A common cause of death is people sheltering under trees. Tree gets struck. All the water in the tree instantly turns to steam and expands by a factor of about 10,000, so you get an explosion with thousands of shards of wood. Kablaaaaaam. Never shelter under a tree! 🙁
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Shikha Sharma answered on 12 Nov 2014:
Hi Alieenjcat,
If we are under shade of non-electric/non-wooden shelter then we might get lucky. Else if something which can ground the charge otherwise it is next to impossible
Comments
Benmacanbeatha commented on :
would it be safe if you where struck in a car by a large bolt of lightning?
Aaron commented on :
Hi, I believe you would be safe in a car since the car’s body would act as a Faraday cage, protecting the occupants.
Kevin commented on :
Good call Aaron. Modern Formula 1 cars have so much electrical power in them that if the car crashes or stops the diver has to climb up on the car and jump off it rather than put one foot on the ground which would complete the circuit and cause the driver to get fried live on TV. The car acts as an excellent Faraday cage until you put one foot on the ground!