Question

Defibrillator machines are used to deliver an electric shock to the human heart, to resuscitate a heart that has stopped beating. It is estimated that a current as low as 18 mA through the heart is required to resuscitate. Using 95 kΩ as the resistance, determine the output voltage a defibrillator needs

Answer 1

To determine the output voltage needed by a defibrillator with a resistance of 95 kΩ to deliver 18 mA, Ohm's law is used, resulting in an output voltage requirement of 1710 volts.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the output voltage a defibrillator needs using a resistance of 95 kΩ to deliver a current of 18 mA to resuscitate a heart, we use Ohm's law, V = I x R, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance.

First, we convert 18 mA to amperes:

18 mA = 0.018 A.

Next, we use the given resistance of 95 kΩ,

which we convert to ohms: 95 kΩ = 95,000 Ω.

Applying Ohm's law gives us:

V = 0.018 A x 95,000 Ω

= 1710 V

Therefore, the defibrillator needs to output a voltage of 1710 volts to deliver the required current of 18 mA through the heart using the given resistance.