What role does sweat play in skin resistance?

• A. Sweat lowers skin resistance
• B. Sweat increases skin resistance
• C. Sweat has no effect on skin resistance
• D. Dry skin lowers resistance

Answer: (A)

Sweat lowers skin resistance. When skin is moist, the sweat creates an electrolyte-rich film on the surface that reduces the natural insulating layer of the outer skin. This provides a more conductive path for current to travel between a conductor and the body, so the overall impedance of the skin drops. Dry skin, by comparison, acts more like an insulator and has higher resistance, which is why the statement that sweat has no effect or that dry skin lowers resistance isn’t accurate. In practical terms, sweating during contact with electrical equipment increases the risk because more current can pass through at the same voltage.