Plugs & Wires

This lesson covers:

  1. The different wires found inside of plugs and cables
  2. Why touching the live wire could give an electric shock

In the UK, the mains supply is alternating current and has a frequency of Hz and a voltage of V

50
230

0

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2

In the UK, how many wires are there usually in an electric plug?

1

2

3

4

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1

Name the three wires that are normally present in UK plugs. 

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3

plastic / carbon / copper / ceramic


Wires are made of and coated in a layer of insulating

copper
plastic

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2

Illustration showing a highlighted wire in a plug.

Which wire is highlighted in the image above?

Earth wire

Neutral wire

Live wire

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1

Diagram showing a highlighted wire in a plug.

Which wire is highlighted in the image above?

Live wire

Neutral wire

Earth wire

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1

Which wire prevents the electrical casing from becoming live?

Live wire

Earth wire

Neutral wire

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1

Diagram showing a highlighted wire in a plug.

Which wire is highlighted in the image above?

Neutral wire

Live wire

Earth wire

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1

Which wire supplies the current to the appliance?

Live wire

Earth wire

Neutral wire

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1

Which wire completes the circuit, allowing current to flow?

Neutral wire

Earth wire

Live wire

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1

What is the voltage of the neutral wire?

0

V

V

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1

Illustration showing three different coloured cables for plugs and wires.

For the UK, which of the following statements is true?

The earth wire is brown and the neutral wire is blue

The live wire is blue and the neutral wire is brown

The neutral wire is blue and the earth wire is striped green and yellow 

The live wire is striped green and yellow and the neutral wire is blue

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1

earth / live / neutral


Touching the wire will result in an electric shock.

live

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1

What is the voltage between the live and neutral wire?

230

V

V

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/

1

Which two wires have the same voltage? 

Live and neutral 

Earth and neutral 

Live and earth

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1