Why are two wires used to carry electric current instead of a single one?

Answer 1

I'm not sure that I understand exactly what you are asking, but here goes.

Imagine that electrical current in a wire is like water in a hose. How would you get water to flow two directions with one hose?

In order for the electrons to flow through the wire, they leave the battery, travel through the wire, and return to the battery. This is only possible if there are two wires.

Hope this helps,
Lorax

Answer 2

You can use a single wire to transfer a static electric charge. But for a useful electric current, you need to continuously move lots of electrons. If you have a line of people passing an apple a second for an hour, you need 3600 apples. But form them into a circle, and you can do the same with just one apple per person.

In some poorer countries, a single electric utility wire may be used to bring electricity into a home. In that case, the ground is being used as a return path. This is less than ideal situation. The ground has a higher resistance than the wire, and its conductivity varies with the weather. High currents flowing through the ground causes other problem, like corrosion of pipes, injury to worms, and so on.

Answer 3

To complete the circuit.A car only uses one wire because the frame is metal and can carry electricity.Most other circuits have to have a return path for the discharged electrons traveling through the wire.If not careful,it could be your body!you are reusing the same electrons over and over again,moving through the molecules of the wire,your power source stimulates the electrons to speed up and exchange particles.At least,that's how my science teacher explained it.If the circuit only goes around in a circle with no light or motor,the wires WILL MELT!

Answer 4

Not sure of what you are asking. In a direct current like from a battery current flows from negative terminal through the load and returns to the positive terminal of the battery.

I you use two wires parallel to each other it increases the current capacity of the wire.The more wires the more current the wire can handle.

Remember these Ohm's Law formulas. These are basics of electricity

E= Voltage in Volts
I= Current in Amperes
R= Resistance in Ohms

So: E= I x R , I= E / R , R= E / I

I hope this helps you.

Answer 5

All electrical instruments have one inlet for the current and an out let for the current.

These instruments (like bllb, fan, oven etc.) work because charge flow through them from entrance via the exit. If there is no flow of charges inside the instrument they will not work.

The charges or current enter the instrument [we use] through the inlet wire and leaves through another wire.

For the charges to have a continuous and regular flow there must be separate inlet and outlet.

If one and the same passage is used for both inlet and out let then there will be stagnation of charge and flow of charges ceases.

The heart pumps blood to all cells in the body. The cells receive blood from the heart via arteries. The blood is taken away from the cells to the heart via veins.

The electrical charges are pumped by the pumping stations (generators), like heart pumping blood.

One wire functions like artery in the heart and other functions as vein in the heart.
Our electrical instruments are analogous to the cells in the body.

Answer 6

You don´t always use two wires. You can use the ground as a return as the old tram cars did, however you must have a go and return system of some sort and it is usual to provide two wires for this.

Answer 7

It is a flow, electrons go from one spot (positive +) to somewhere else (the negative -) when you complete the circuit the flow satrts and voilá you have electricity.
If you only have one wire, then the electrons are not moving and so there is no electricity.

Answer 8

It is Alternating current (AC) - one positive flows to the end point - say the lightbulb, the other flow away - negative. Direct Current is DC - you are more likely to see this in things that run on batteries or in cards.

Answer 9

You need to have a positive current and a negative current.