[neilep (OP)]

In films you often see someone being thrown across the room or just a great distance as a result of an electric shock !

Does this actually happen in reality ?

If so....what is the energy that does this ?..is it an extreme muscle reaction or is it the actual electricity ?...if so ..how does it do it ?...

[daveshorts]

Your muscles are controlled electrically via nerves, if you put a wacking great current into the muscle from the mains, the muscle can contract violently throwing you across the room. So it is the muscles.

[Carolyn]

In films you often see someone being thrown across the room or just a great distance as a result of an electric shock !

Does this actually happen in reality ?

If so....what is the energy that does this ?..is it an extreme muscle reaction or is it the actual electricity ?...if so ..how does it do it ?...

It's happened to hubby a few times.  His muscles ached for a few days after.

[another_someone]

In films you often see someone being thrown across the room or just a great distance as a result of an electric shock !

Does this actually happen in reality ?

If so....what is the energy that does this ?..is it an extreme muscle reaction or is it the actual electricity ?...if so ..how does it do it ?...

I have heard that this is one of the advantages of A/C current - that it does throw you across the room.

I have heard that D/C current simply locks up your muscles so you cannot disengage from the power source, and so will simply be locked up until you die from respiratory failure.  A/C, will seize up your muscles, but as the current switches cycles, the current momentarily switches off, so causing your muscles to react against the seizure and throw you off.

It may also possibly be influenced by which muscle groups are effected (with Tazers, depending on which part of the body is hit, it can cause the body simply to go rigid, or to get thrown into the air from muscle contractions, or simply to collapse onto the floor - although Tazers are somewhat more specific in their actions than indiscriminate electric shocks).

[Alandriel]

Interesting! So it's directly muscle related

Yes - it happened also to me when I tried to fix a cable once and quite obviously did a lousy job. I ended up on the opposite wall of my bedroom - pretty shaken but otherwise ok. No lasting muscle pain as I recall.

A/C vs D/C that brings to mind again the 'war of currents'; thanks for posting the supposed differences George. That makes a lot of sense.
I hope no one is going to any greath lengths again like Edison did

Edison carried out a campaign to discourage the use[12] of alternating current, including spreading information on fatal AC accidents, killing animals, and lobbying against the use of AC in state legislatures. Edison directed his technicians, primarily Arthur Kennelly and Harold P. Brown,[13] to preside over several AC-driven executions of animals, primarily stray cats and dogs but also unwanted cattle and horses. Acting on these directives, they were to demonstrate to the press that alternating current was more dangerous than Edison's system of direct current.[14] Edison's series of animal executions peaked with the electrocution of Topsy the Elephant. He also tried to popularize the term for being electrocuted as being "Westinghoused".

more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currents

[RD]

The strong straps on "old sparky" are not just to stop the user voluntarily leaving the chair.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_sparky