When lightning strikes the ocean, why don't ALL the fish die?

Question

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Answer 1

Electricity is just a form of energy. When it passes through any medium (copper wire, the air, water, anything)  part of this energy is absorbed by the resistance of the medium through which it passes. So if lighting strikes and a fish happens to be close enough to where the lighting strikes then it could have some current pass through it and it could die. But it would have to be close to the top of the water and close to the striking point.

Answer 2

Thats like saying when a forest fire happens, why don't ALL the animals die?

Lightning spreads further in the ocean, and water only help it spread, but there are many cases where NO fish die. Lightning has a specific range, but it changes everytime it hits. If lightning strikes the ocean in Hawaii, and I'm swimming in the ocean in P.E.I, I'm not going to get electrocuted and die.

It's just range.

So don't worry. Our fishies are fine.

Answer 3

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mlig...

Answer 4

There's distance in which a shock can travel in the ocean, though the scientists still don't know how far the distance is. Of course, fish and ocean mammals have been injured or even killed by lightning bolts hitting the ocean. But since animals seem to know when dangerous weather is getting near, they may dive deep enough to escape any possible lightning.

Answer 5

The electricity becomes weak as it passes through water molecule.So It cannot harm fishes far from it

Answer 6

Water is not the best conductor of electricity. So as the lightning moves through water, it loses its power and eventually does not harm fish.