This memory aid covers Memory Aid within Mains Electricity & Safety for GCSE Physics. Revise Mains Electricity & Safety in Electricity for GCSE Physics with 18 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 12 of 16 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
Topic position
Section 12 of 16
Practice
18 questions
Recall
30 flashcards
🧠 Memory Aid
Wire colours — "Brown Lives, Blue Neutral, Green-Yellow Earth":
Brown = Live (Be careful — it's Lethal!)
Blue = Neutral (think: bland/safe at 0 V)
Green/Yellow = Earth (think: grass and sun = the earth and ground)
Fuse selection rule — "Just Above, Never Below":
Calculate the normal current using I = P/V. Choose the fuse that is just above this value from the available options (3 A, 5 A, 13 A). Never choose one that's below — it would blow immediately. Never choose one that's much higher — it won't protect.
Earth wire purpose — "Earth Escapes, Fuse Finishes":
The Earth wire provides an escape route for fault current. The large current then causes the Fuse to Finish (melt), cutting the circuit.
Keep building this topic
Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Mains Electricity & Safety. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.
Practice Questions for Mains Electricity & Safety
What does AC stand for, and how does it differ from DC?
Explain how a fuse protects an electrical circuit from damage.
Quick Recall Flashcards
18 questions on Mains Electricity & Safety — practise free
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