Question

claim
someone swimming in fresh water is at greater risk of death from lightning than someone in saltwater.
evidence
because fresh water is a poor conductor of electricity, a human body becomes the sponge for electrical current from a nearby lightning strike. in contrast, saltwater disperses electrical current rapidly in all directions and a body would receive less current from a nearby strike.
sourced from
triton news network
your evaluation of the claim:
□ fully accurate
□ partially accurate
□ not accurate
references
mcdowell, scott. \lightning: the formation and risk to swimmers.\ triton, 14 nov. 2016,
www.the-triton.com/2016/11/lightning-formation-and-risk-to-swimmers

Explanation:

The claim aligns with the provided evidence: fresh water is a poor electrical conductor, so a human body in it acts as a better conductor, drawing more current from a nearby lightning strike. Saltwater is a good conductor, dispersing current widely, so less current reaches a swimmer, lowering their death risk. The evidence fully supports the claim.

Answer:

• Your evaluation of the claim: Fully accurate
• Reasoning: Fresh water's low conductivity makes the human body a preferred path for lightning current, increasing death risk. Saltwater's high conductivity disperses current, reducing the current reaching a swimmer, so the claim is fully accurate.