Every day, we use electricity in our homes and workplaces to power all sorts of devices. From phones to laptops, lights, and refrigerators – electric cables are the lifeblood of it all! Have you ever wondered how these electrical cables work? This article explores the fascinating concept behind electrical wiring and its various applications. Click here to learn how it works and the technical aspects!
How do electrical cables work?
Electrical cables provide the lowest resistance route for current to move through. They are made up of an element of wire made of metal with good conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, with additional layers of material, such as insulation screens, tapes, and armoring, to provide mechanical protection and sheathing. The different layers permit the core to transfer electrical current in the safe conditions it is installed.
The way the ground wire functions is that if this box becomes energized because some wire has been damaged, something is wrong, or a wire becomes loose, many possible causes could trigger that. However, what it does is that it causes electricity to move quickly via the grounded wire and back to the panel. This results in an activated breaker that shuts off the circuit’s power which means the circuit is not a risk.
Good conductors are composed of a material with an atomic structure: electrons that are loosely bound in its outer shell, which can traverse the matrix of the atomic structure. The movement of electrons in this manner is called the current flow. In contrast, the best insulation materials have tightly bound electrons that make it difficult to conduct the current flow to be able to move.
The most basic electrical cable could be just a metallic conductor. These cables are utilized in overhead wires without any insulation material in the conductor apart from the air surrounding the conductor.
Overhead cables, such as ones employed in the rail industry, need to be considered to make sure it is protected from any possibility of damaging the conductor’s electrical circuit (grounding the cable could let the current flow through it, potentially electrocuting any person who comes in contact with it).
The amount of current that will flow efficiently via the electric cable is determined by a mix of factors:
- The cross-sectional area of the conductor
- The conductor’s resistance
- The insulation material
- The installation method or the environment.
The consequence in the form of resistance against current flow results in the conductor’s heating and the insulation layers surrounding it. The overheated conductor could cause the breakdown of the insulation layer, which could result in a short-circuiting of current and electric shock. It can also cause a fire.
