Electricity in the Home

Question 1

List the electrical hazards in the home (9)

Answer 1

1) Longs cables 2) Frayed cables
3) Cables in contact with something hot or wet
4) Water near sockets 5) Shoving things onto sockets
6) Damaged plugs 7) Too many plugs in 1 socket
8) Lighting sockets without bulbs in
9) Appliances without their covers on

Question 2

Explain what a three-core cable is

Answer 2

Connects an appliance to the mains.

Three wires, each with a core of copper and a coloured plastic coating

Question 3

What are the 3 wires?

Answer 3

Neutral wire
Live wire
Earth wire

Question 4

Describe the live wire

Answer 4

brown

In a mains supply alternates between high +ve and -ve voltage

Question 5

Describe the earth wire

Answer 5

Green and yellow.
Used to protect the wiring, and for safety - it works together with a fuse to prevent fir and shocks It’s attached to the metal casing of the plug ad carries the electricity to the earth, should the live or neutral wire touch the metal case

Question 6

Describe the neutral wire

Answer 6

Blue, always at 0 V. Electricity normally flows in and out though the live and neutral wires only

Question 7

Describe how a plug is wired, including safety features (4)

Answer 7

1) The right coloured wire is connected to each pin and is firmly screwed in
2) No bare wires sowing inside the plug
3) Cable grip tightly fastened over the cable outer layer
4) Different appliances need different amounts of electrical energy. Thicker cables have less resistance, so they carry more current

Question 8

Describe the plug including the safety features (3)

Answer 8

1) The metal parts are made of copper because these are very good conductors
2) The case, cable grips and cable insulation are made of rubber or plastic because they’re really good insulators and flexible too
3) This all keeps the electricity flowing where it should