The word "zap" means to hit or attack something with a sudden, strong burst of energy or power. It can also mean to move or travel quickly. Full definition
That's how one biologist describes the experience of getting zapped by an electric eel. (scientificamerican.com)
(If you're wondering, the annual chance of getting zapped in the United States is 1 in 1,083,000.) (sciencenews.org)
Stanley Miller, who died on May 20, performed one of biology's most famous experiments in 1952, when he showed that simple compounds could form amino acids when zapped with electricity. (scientificamerican.com)