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In electricity overloading cannot be caused by:
connecting too many appliances to a single socket
accidental hike in the supply voltage
the live wire coming in direct contact with the neutral wire
the live wire and the neutral wire coming into contact through a heavy resistance
the live wire and the neutral wire coming into contact through a heavy resistance
Overloading occurs when the total current drawn from a circuit exceeds its rated capacity, leading to excessive heating. A short circuit (Option C) or a voltage hike (Option B) significantly increases current flow, whereas a high resistance (Option D) restricts current flow, preventing an overload condition.
IS 732:2019 (Code of practice for electrical wiring installations)
Overloading occurs when the total current drawn from a circuit exceeds its rated capacity, leading to excessive heating. A short circuit (Option C) or a voltage hike (Option B) significantly increases current flow, whereas a high resistance (Option D) restricts current flow, preventing an overload condition.
I=RVтАЛ тАФ Ohm's Law relating current, voltage, and resistance
H=I2Rt тАФ Joule's Law of heating demonstrating why high current causes overloading
According to Ohm's Law I=RVтАЛ, current is inversely proportional to resistance. If the live and neutral wires make contact through a heavy (high) resistance, the resulting current I remains low. In contrast, a direct short circuit results in near-zero resistance, leading to a massive surge in current (IтЖТтИЮ), causing an overload.
Overloading is defined by a current exceeding the circuit's rated limit
Short circuit is a zero-resistance path between live and neutral wires
High resistance limits current, acting as a load rather than a fault
Voltage hikes increase power dissipation (P=RV2тАЛ) leading to thermal overload
Option A: Connecting too many appliances increases total power demand, causing an overload.
Option B: An increase in V causes an increase in I for a fixed load, potentially exceeding the fuse rating.
Option C: This creates a low-impedance path causing a high-current short-circuit.
Option D: A high resistance ensures the current I stays within a safe, manageable limit.
D is correct тАФ the live wire and the neutral wire coming into contact through a heavy resistance restricts the current flow, preventing an overload.
Remember that in electrical faults, low resistance equals high current (danger), whereas high resistance acts as a load-limiting factor.