Three-phase power system distributes the workload between how many wires alongside a neutral?

• A. Two wires
• B. Three wires
• C. Three wires with a neutral
• D. Four wires

Answer: (C)

In a three-phase system, the load is carried by three live conductors, each carrying a voltage that is 120 degrees apart from the others. If a neutral is present, it provides a return path for currents from line-to-neutral loads and for any imbalance among the three phases. That means you have three phase wires plus a neutral, i.e., four conductors in use. The neutral is not needed for the balanced three-phase power itself, but it’s essential for loads tied from a single phase to neutral and for returning unbalanced current. Therefore, the correct description is three wires with a neutral, which reflects three phase conductors along with a neutral conductor.