Which conductor must be insulated or covered according to the given guidelines?

• A. The grounded conductor of a multiconductor cable
• B. The equipment grounding conductor
• C. The hot conductor in a cord
• D. The neutral conductor only

Answer: (A)

Inside a multiconductor cable, any conductor that normally carries current needs to be protected by insulation to prevent accidental contact with other conductors or with the sheath, which could cause shocks or short circuits. The grounded conductor (the neutral) is the one that must be insulated or covered inside the cable to keep the current path isolated and safe even if the outer jacket wears or is damaged. The equipment grounding conductor serves as a fault path and is often bare or green-insulated, so insulation isn’t required for it in many installations. That’s why the grounded conductor of a multiconductor cable is the one that must be insulated.