What is Wire?
[[File:Stranded lamp wire.jpg|thumb|right|Electrical wire]] '''Wire''' is a long, thin and flexible piece of [[metal]]. Wires are made in many different metals and sizes, and are used for many purposes. [[Wire rope]] has been used for centuries. [[Electrical wiring|Electrical wire]] is wire used to carry [[electricity]]. When people touch wire that is carrying electricity, they get [[Electric shock|shocked]], which is bad, so the outside coating of electrical wires is colored. Most electric wires are black, but some wires have a differently colored coating. Different colors indicate different purposes, for example, in the [[United States]], green or bare is a [[ground]] (earth) wire, white is a neutral wire, and black, blue, red, brown, yellow, and orange are hot (live) wires. A '''[[Telephone tapping|wiretap]]''' is when law enforcement puts a [[wikt:device|device]] into a [[phone]] or other electronic device to hear what suspected criminals are going to do. [[Copper wire and cable|Copper wire]] is the best known type of wire, but wire can also be made out of [[Aluminium|aluminum]] or other metals. If we did not have wiring almost all of our electronics would not be working or available. {{tech-stub}} [[Category:Basic English 850 words]] [[Category:Hardware (mechanical)]] [[Category:Electrical wiring]]