Electricity in the home

• Alternating current:

  • current is constantly changing direction
  • produced by alternating voltages in which the positive and negative ends keep Alternating, frequency is 50 hertz
• Direct current

  • Always flowing in the same direction
  • created by a direct voltage
• Neutral wire:

  • blue
  • Completes the Circuit
  • current flows through the live and neutral wires
  • potential difference is 0v
• Earth wire:

  • green and yellow
  • for protecting the wiring and stops the Casing becoming live
  • At the top
  • potential difference: 0v
• live wire

  • Brown
  • on the right
  • provides alternating potential difference
  • potential difference: 230 v
• Electric shocks:

  • Our bodies are at 0v, meaning that if we touch the live wires a large pd is produced across our bodies and a current would flow through us, because we would provide a link between the supply and the earth
  • This causes an electric shock