Electrocution
Electrocution is the stopping of life (determined by a stopped heart) by any type of electric shock.
In the vernacular, the term electrocution is used to mean:
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death, murder or suicide by electric shock
- deliberate execution by electric shock, usually involving an electric chair; the word "electrocution" is a portmanteau for "electrical execution"
Electrocution is also frequently used to refer to any electric shock received but is technically incorrect. This choice in definition varies from dictionary to dictionary.
Death can occur from any shock that carries enough current. Small currents (70–700 mA) usually trigger fibrillation in the heart which is reversible via defibrillator, but large currents (> 1 A) cause permanent damage via burns, and cellular damage. The heart is most devastated by foreign electricity.