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

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

• A. Hot is white; Neutral is black
• B. Hot is black (or red); Neutral is white
• C. Hot is green; Neutral is bare
• D. Hot is blue; Neutral is white

Answer: (B)

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.