Question

Why is it necessary to connect an earth wire to the electrical appliances having metallic covers?

Answer 1

1. The earth wire provides a low-resistance path for any leakage current to flow into the ground.
2. If the live wire accidentally touches the metallic body, the current flows through the earth wire instead of the human body, preventing electric shock.
3. This also causes the fuse to blow or the circuit breaker to trip, disconnecting the supply.

Hence, earthing protects users from electric shocks and accidents.