In a typical US residential circuit, which color is hot and which is neutral?

Get ready for the NCCER Introduction to Electrical Circuits exam. Study with multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

In a typical US residential circuit, which color is hot and which is neutral?

Explanation:
In US residential wiring, color coding distinguishes live and return paths: the hot (live) conductor is typically black, and sometimes red when there’s a second hot or a 240V circuit. The neutral conductor is white and serves as the return path back to the panel. Ground is green or bare copper for safety. So, hot being black (or red) and neutral being white matches how circuits are wired in most homes. The other options mislabel these colors, such as making neutral hot or using green/bare as hot, which aren’t correct for standard residential wiring.

In US residential wiring, color coding distinguishes live and return paths: the hot (live) conductor is typically black, and sometimes red when there’s a second hot or a 240V circuit. The neutral conductor is white and serves as the return path back to the panel. Ground is green or bare copper for safety. So, hot being black (or red) and neutral being white matches how circuits are wired in most homes. The other options mislabel these colors, such as making neutral hot or using green/bare as hot, which aren’t correct for standard residential wiring.

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