What special powers or abilities do other animals use for hunting or self-defense? For example, do you know of a special ability that a skunk might use? Try to think of a few other examples. Do some Internet research, if you need to. Share what you find with a friend or family member. Can they think of any other examples? How would you feel if you were an electric eel? Put yourself in the shoes of an electric eel for a day. OK, we know electric eels don't wear shoes, but pretend that they do! Do other marine creatures like you?
Why or why not? Are you misunderstood? Write a short story or a series of diary entries that explains how you believe an electric eel feels about its place in the marine environment. Have fun and be as creative as you can be! Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words generate cylinder surface internal organ voltage ampere stun prey deter intermittent shock breathe battery fish air vary safe Take the Wonder Word Challenge.
Join the Discussion. Anna Mar 18, Sep 9, We hope this Wonder helped you figure that out, leigh! Brendan Apr 23, I am studying electric eels. That's the only reason i'm on this. Apr 23, We hope you found some answers, Brendan. Brenden Dec 17, Wallace Handson Sep 14, I have a serious question: How many eels sous it take to screw in a lightbulb.
Sep 17, Wallace Handsom Sep 10, Sep 12, Sam Sep 9, I wonder what WAS the very first animal on the planet? Sep 11, Westley Sep 8, Hey Wonderopolis! I just wanted to say that this website is amazing. I can't stop reading these wonders. The facts are flabbergasting! Sep 10, Wallace Joinbum Sep 8, Hello Wonderopolis! I cant stop reading your website! I love it!!! Joe Bob Sep 8, Thanks for joining the discussion! We appreciate your comments! Dylan Sep 3, Sep 3, Yazminah Aug 28, Aug 28, Mattski Aug 21, Aug 21, You guys should add videos to attract even more people and it would be awesome.
Aug 16, Aug 17, Wonderopolis Jan 21, Wonder friend L May 3, Wonderopolis May 3, Audrey C Mrs. Feb 7, WOW, I really never knew that electric eels breath air. Also that they are related to catfish. But I never knew that they go to the surface every 10 minutes before going back underwater. I think it's kind of crazy that they go back out of the water like we people do. Wonderopolis Feb 8, Sarah Suo-MC Oct 12, Dear Wonderopolis, This wonder was extremely interesting!
I thought the Japan Christmas tree was phenomenal! Wonderopolis Oct 13, Because the cells are oriented inside the electric organ like a series of batteries piled into a flashlight, the current generated by an activated cell "shocks" any inactive neighbor into action, setting off an avalanche of activation that runs its course in just two milliseconds or so.
This practically simultaneous start-up creates a short-lived current flowing along the eel's body. If the eel lived in air, the current could be as high as one ampere, turning the creature's body into the equivalent of a volt battery.
But eels live in water, which provides additional outlets for the current. They thus generate a larger voltage, but a divided, and therefore diminished, current.
To my knowledge, there are no specific studies on why eels can shock other animals without shocking themselves but one possible explanation could be that the severity of an electric shock depends on the amount and duration of the current flowing through any given area of the body.
For the purposes of comparison, an eel's body has roughly the same dimensions as an adult man's arm. To cause an arm to spasm, milliamps of current must be flowing into it for 50 milliseconds. An eel generates much less energy than that because its current flows for only 2 milliseconds. Additionally, a large part of the current dissipates into the water through the skin. This probably reduces the current even more near internal structures like the central nervous system or heart.
Of course, the current received by any small prey is also only a small portion of the total current generated by the eel. So they have to be very careful. However, accidents occur anyway. They reduce the danger to themselves by flexing their bodies in a shape that prevents the electric current from passing through their heart.
When they are charging up, they stiffen into a line segment very much like a straightedge. This way, the electric current only runs parallel to their tail and behind the heart. Sometimes, when charging, they fold into a U-shape. This provides the greatest current density that they can achieve in their prey, which is near the end of the U.
However, their heads have to be positioned just slightly beyond the distal end of their tail. One slight miscalculation and zap! If they are in a tight place, then it is not easy to move around safely. When several of them are squeezed together in a tight place, like when their pond starts to drain, one has no way to tell how the others are oriented.
So if one feels endangered and charges up in a panic, he can electrocute the whole school and himself. Electric eels shocking themselves have been observed both in nature and in aquariums. However, with great power comes great responsibility.
Electric eels have to be very careful about themselves and other electric eels!
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