When lightening strikes the ocean, why don't all the fish die?

Question

When lightening strikes the ocean, why don't all the fish die?

Answer 1

The fish dodge the bolt...being slippery helps.

Answer 2

electricity doesn't go through water, water only attracts the electricity.

Answer 3

They don't ever die...

They just smell like they did...

Answer 4

Because the ocean is huge, it can absorb the energy. Kind of like if you took a tiny cup or boiling water and poured it into a swimming pool. It wouldn't affect the pool at all.

Answer 5

The current density falls off rapidly with increasing distance from the point of the strike.  Only fish in the immediate vicinity of the strike point are at risk.

Answer 6

Because the energy from the bolt is dissipated swiftly. Also, the size of the ocean ensures the total charge is very small compared to the ocean size.

Anything in the way of the bolt will be zapped, of course.

Answer 7

Electric eels take up the charge. Nature is fascinating this way.

Answer 8

Haha at the electricity doesn't go through water thing. Anyways take a look at this: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/28305

So the effect of the lightning is a limited area.

Answer 9

A single lightning stroke can deliver a billion electron volts and 100,000 amps. Air within a lightning stroke can be hotter than the Sun's surface.

So, yes, if such a lightning bolt directly hits a marine animal swimming on the surface, it will undoubtedly hurt or kill her.

When lightning strikes the ocean or other large water bodies, it spreads out over the conducting surface. It also penetrates down and can kill fish in the nearby region.

Answer 10

Because fish are nicer than humans...hehe...sad but true.

Answer 11

as strong as electicity may seem it dissapates very quickly, like if it hit a lake, it doesnt kill everything, a human near it may feel it, we are told to stay out of water during storms, because water attracts electricity, although humans bob, so we stick out, where lightning could hit us, and also, if lightning hit near us, we would feel it and possibly go into anafilactic shock