Final answer:
Wetness leads to a huge decrease in the body's electrical resistance because water facilitates the movement of ions, which conduct electricity. Blood and bodily fluids already have low resistance due to their ionic nature. Reduced skin resistance increases the risk of electrical injury, underlining the importance of electrical safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wetness significantly affects the resistance of the body by causing a huge decrease in resistance. Most of the body’s resistance to electrical current is due to the dry skin. When skin becomes wet, the resistance drops because water typically contains dissolved salts and other minerals which dissociate into ions. These ions are excellent conductors of electricity, thus lowering the overall resistance of the skin. In the case of blood and other bodily fluids, they naturally have low resistances because they are ionic solutions. Ionic solutions contain a high concentration of free ions, which move easily and allow electric current to pass through with less resistance.
When the skin's resistance is bypassed, which can happen through wounds or medical procedures that penetrate the skin, a much smaller current can be harmful due to the lower internal resistance. Hence, it's important to maintain stringent electrical safety, especially in hospital settings where patients may have reduced skin resistance.