mains electricity

• • most electrical appliances are connected to mains by three core cable
  • each cable has a core of copper
• • live wire = brown
  • live wire carries alternating current at 230V from supply
• • neutral wire = blue
  • neutral wire completes the circuit
  • allows current to flow through live and neutral wire
  • 0V
• • earth wire = green and yellow
  • earth wire is for safety to stop appliance becoming live
  • at 0V
  • only carries current when there is a fault
• • a live wire can be dangerous when the switch is open because there is a potential difference in the live wire
  • so, making contact would provide link between supply and earth, so current would flow through human
• • any connection with the live wire and the earth us dangerous
  • the link can create a low resistance path to earth and huge current will flow which can result in fire
• • touching a live wire can cause large potential difference to be produced and current flows through human m