See_Bee10 t1_j6lkcdr wrote on January 31, 2023 at 4:28 AM

Reply to comment by DressCritical in ELI5: Why can't people let go when they're being electrocuted? by TheRadNinja46

I think you have that backwards. AC causes muscle contractions. If DC did, you wouldn't see videos of people locked on to things that have become electrified, because the power from the plant is AC. That's why Edison electrocuted an elephant.

DressCritical t1_j6llpv6 wrote on January 31, 2023 at 4:41 AM

Nope.

AC can induce muscle tetanus, but while it can cause you to lock a hand to something, DC is quite a bit more likely to do so. AC has a greater chance of causing a spasm that either removes the hand or allows the victim to pull free.

AC, however, is more likely to kill you, as it can trigger ventricular fibrillation. DC is more likely to stop your heart, which can actually be easier to recover from.

As for Edison, he electrocuted the elephant and invented the electric chair to illustrate the dangers of AC current. Not because he thought it would be all that dangerous at household voltages, but because he owned the patents on DC and wanted AC to look bad. Look into Edison a bit, you will see that he was something of a jerk.

However, for local grid purposes, AC is much better and won out in the end.