• Question: Why does water react so violently with electricity?

    Asked by dizzyg12 to Simon, Rachel, Dilwar on 12 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Simon Langley-Evans

      Simon Langley-Evans answered on 12 Nov 2013:

      Pure water is not a very good conductor of electricity so mixing water that contains no impurities with electricity is a lot less dangerous that doing it with tap water or water from the sea or a river (DONT EVER DO IT THOUGH!).

      Water that is not highly purified will contain other molecules including salts and metals and these are generally very good conductors of electricity. As water is a liquid the current will pass through the impurities with very little resistance and this is why the effect is so violent. Touching live electricity with your hands will always be very dangerous and stupid. If you handle electrical equipment with wet hands there is a chance that some of the water will come into contact with live wires and the current will flow through the water and into you.

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