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portrait edition · 9:16

g is for ground

episode 63:03

read the transcript

automatic captions, checked for structure and key terms; corrections welcome.

0:06[unclear opening audio]

0:37Oh, hey Adabot, how are you doing?

0:40Oh, good. I was just wondering.

0:42Wondering about what?

0:44Why do some power cables have two conductors and some have three?

0:49That's a very good question, Adabot.

0:51The answer is these three prong cables are grounded.

0:55You mean, they're not allowed to go out and play?

0:58Oh, no, not like that.

0:59See, on this connector, we have a third prong, and that's the ground.

1:05We use these with appliances like this one for safety.

1:08If something goes wrong electrically inside, that extra dangerous electrical

1:13charge goes through the ground and not through you, which would cause a nasty

1:17shock.

1:18Ground? Like outside with all the dirt?

1:22That's right. The earth is ground.

1:25So anything connected to the earth is grounded.

1:28Huh? So let's say we're talking about things that are ground.

1:32How many can we find just by looking around?

1:35Are you kidding? That's easy. We're nearly surrounded.

1:38There's a lot of things here that are very well grounded.

1:45Like dirt.

1:47[unclear reply]

1:50Pipes.

1:51Yes, very true.

1:53A sink?

1:55Also connected to the earth.

1:57A tree?

1:59Well, yes, but it's not conductive.

2:01This rock?

2:02Uh-huh.

2:03That rock?

2:04You bet.

2:05A fire extinguisher?

2:06No way.

2:08A cup of tea?

2:10Not ground.

2:12An airplane?

2:14Same deal.

2:15A rubber ball?

2:16Not grounded.

2:18A lightning rod?

2:20Oh, most definitely.

2:22It doesn't take long to complete this search.

2:24Ground is anything conductive that's connected to the Earth.

2:30Hey, Adabot. Back already? That was quick.

2:33Yes, I found examples all over.

2:36You might say you covered a lot of ground.

2:39Oh, zing. Good one. Good one. That was good.

3:02I'll see you next time.