Question

Wires used in homes are usually covered with materials like plastic or rubber. The primary reason for doing this is to:
a. Prevent rusting
b. Make handling easier
c. Prevent shocks and short circuits
d. Make them look beautiful

Answer 1

Hint: The wires used for electrical works are always covered with a coating of rubber or plastic. When the circuit is on there will be current flowing through these wires. We know the properties of materials like rubber and plastic. Such a property is made use of here.

Complete step by step answer:
When we switch on the circuit there will be current flowing through these wires. If the wires are not covered with an insulating material it is very dangerous to human lives. There is a chance of people getting shocked by the conducting wires. Also at the junctions, there will be different wires passing through the same point. If the wires are not properly insulated from each other, there is a chance of short circuits and the appliances getting damaged. Short circuits can even cause a fire. So it is very dangerous to leave electrical wires without insulation. We know that rubber and plastic are insulators and they do not conduct electricity. Hence materials like rubber and plastic are used to insulate the electrical wires.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Additional information:
The insulation of wires is always done in a standard color code. There is a universal color code for the phase line, the neutral wire, and the earth. This makes it easier for the electricians to understand which wire should be connected to phase, neutral, and earth of switches and appliances.

Note: Materials that do not allow current to pass through are called insulators. The process of coating a layer of insulating substance around a conducting material is called insulation. Rubber is a very good insulating material. Hence rubber is coated on electrical wires to prevent short circuits and accidents.