Question

Which two of the three connecting wires in a household circuit are at the same potential? Explain.

Answer 1

The neutral wire and the earth wire are at the same potential (zero potential or 0 V).

Explanation: The neutral wire is connected to the ground at the power substation, and the earth wire is locally connected to a metal plate buried deep in the ground. Because both wires are linked to the ground, they both maintain a reference potential of 0 V relative to the earth.