MadSci Network: Zoology
Query:

Re: How do electric eels produce electricity and not electrocute themselves

Date: Mon Jun 12 11:13:50 2000
Posted By: Curt Anderson, Faculty, Biological Sciences, Idaho State University
Area of science: Zoology
ID: 960391872.Zo
Message:

The electric eel (which, by the way, is not a true eel but a Cypriniform 
fish) can produce an electric discharge on the order of 600 - 650 volts.  
In order to do this, there must be numerous excitable cells set in series 
with one another.  For example, if there are somewhere around 4500 of these 
excitable cells sitting in series (and thus summating the voltage), and 
each cell produces 140 millivolts, you would arrive at around 630 total 
volts of discharge.  The individual cells of the electric organ are 
designed such that only one side of the cell carries the electric 
potential, and all of the cells are aligned similarly. Thus the charge is 
carried in one direction from the body.  The head then acts as the 
positive end of the 'battery', and the tail as the negative.  When the eel 
is resting there is no electricity generated from the organ, but when it 
begins to move it emits electrical impulses.  In some electric fishes, this 
electric current is used for communication and/or recognizing prey items. 
In the electric eel, when the eel touches its tail and head to an animal, 
it sends electric shocks through that animals body, much the same way, you 
can shock someone with static electricity and not get shocked yourself.




Current Queue | Current Queue for Zoology | Zoology archives

Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Zoology.



MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


MadSci Network, webadmin@www.madsci.org
© 1995-2000. All rights reserved.