How does skin moisture affect resistance?

How does skin moisture affect resistance?

• A. Moist skin increases resistance
• B. Moist skin has no effect on resistance
• C. Moist skin reduces resistance slightly
• D. Sweaty skin can have resistance as low as several hundred ohms due to the presence of ions

Answer: (D)

Moisture on the skin lowers electrical resistance by creating a conductive path. Sweat and other moisture contain ions that act as electrolytes, so they help carry charge across the skin. The dry outer skin is a good insulator, but when it gets wet, the impedance drops dramatically, sometimes down to a few hundred ohms. That means, for the same voltage, a lot more current can flow, which increases the risk of shock. So sweaty skin can have resistance as low as several hundred ohms due to the ions in sweat.

Moisture on the skin lowers electrical resistance by creating a conductive path. Sweat and other moisture contain ions that act as electrolytes, so they help carry charge across the skin. The dry outer skin is a good insulator, but when it gets wet, the impedance drops dramatically, sometimes down to a few hundred ohms. That means, for the same voltage, a lot more current can flow, which increases the risk of shock. So sweaty skin can have resistance as low as several hundred ohms due to the ions in sweat.