Question

A Fuse is connected to the
A. Live wire
B. Neutral wire
C. Earth wire
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: A fuse is a safety device in an electric plug or a circuit. It contains a piece of wire that melts when there is a fault in the circuit so that the flow of electricity stops. A fuse is basically an automatic means of removing power from a faulty system.

Complete step-by-step answer:
A fuse is an essential electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. Its essential component or element is a metal wire or strip that melts when high current flows through it, thereby interrupting or stopping the current in the circuit. It is a sacrificial device, meaning that, once a fuse has operated it becomes an open circuit and it must be replaced or rewired.

A fuse consists of a metal strip or wire fuse element, of small cross-sectional area compared to the circuit elements or conductors, mounted between a pair of electrical terminals, and enclosed by a non-combustible housing. The fuse is arranged in series in a circuit to carry all the current passing through the protected circuit. The resistance of the element generates heat due to the electric current flow. The size and construction of the fuse element is determined so that the heat produced for a normal current in the circuit does not cause the element to attain a high temperature. If too high an electric current flows, the element rises to a higher temperature and either directly melts, or else melts a soldered joint within the fuse, ultimately opening the circuit.
The fuse wire is always connected in the live wire of the electric circuit because if the fuse is somehow put in the neutral wire in the circuit, then due to excessive flow of electric current when the fuse burns, current will stop flowing in the circuit, but the appliance will still remain connected to the high potential point of the power supply through the live wire. Now if a person touches the appliance, he has the chances of getting an electric shock as the person will come in contact with the live wire through that appliance.
The fuse is always connected in Live wire.

So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note: Students should note that:
i. Fuses are always connected in series with the circuit components to be protected from the overcurrent in the circuit, so that when the fuse blows, or opens, it will open the entire circuit and stop current through the circuit components.
ii. The fuse being a protective device has to perform the duty of separating faulty part of the circuit from the healthy part. This function of the fuse ceases if it is placed in the neutral wire.