When lightning hits a body of water how come the fish don't get electrocuted?

Answer 1

Water is an excellent conductor, and electricity travels through the path of least resistance. Since water is part of the "ground", the lightning's electrons rapidly lose their energy in a hemi-spherical spreading pattern (diluting the energy at a rate of (2/3)*d^3, which is very fast). In addition, the fish themselves are not as good a conductor as the water around them, thus less (not to say no) elecricity flows through them as the energy transfers from electron to electron in the medium.

A fish that is very close to the point of impact could be killed, but the rapid dispersion of the energy at a cubic rate as well as the tendency of the energy to flow "around" the less conductive fish minimizes the kill zone. A example we can observe on land is where lightning strives sandy ground, and fuses about 6 inces to a foot of sand into a glass tree branch shaped figure.

Answer 2

They do. That's the way some people fish in the Rio Grande. They throw two wires into the water and crank a generator and boom fish float to the top.

Answer 3

I think it's because the fish aren't grounded. It's the same reason why birds don't get electrocuted while sitting on power lines.

Answer 4

Because they are'nt conductive being that they are suspended in the water

Answer 5

Idk.....i think cuzz there not a conductor.....

Answer 6

They do.