Simple Description

One of the three wires in a plug - coloured green and yellow

Further Detail

The earth wire is a safety feature in a plug. If a fault develops in the plug (usually causing the live wire to touch the case of the object) then a large current will flow through the live wire via the fuse, causing it to melt. Objects with plastic cases don't always need an Earth wire.

Related Words:

• Live wire
• Fuse
• Neutral wire

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