Stranded wire of the same gauge as solid wire is larger in diameter.

Stranded wire of the same gauge as solid wire is larger in diameter.

• A. the same
• B. smaller
• C. larger
• D. none

Answer: (C)

Gauge measures the cross-sectional area of the copper. If two wires share the same gauge, their copper area is the same. Stranded wire is made of many small strands bundled together, and those strands don’t pack into a circle as efficiently as a single solid core. The result is that the bundle has to fit inside a larger outer diameter to enclose all the copper strands, even before considering insulation. So, with the same gauge, the stranded conductor ends up larger in diameter than a solid conductor. The other options don’t fit because they would imply the bundle fits into the same or a smaller circle, which isn’t possible given the extra packing between multiple strands.

Gauge measures the cross-sectional area of the copper. If two wires share the same gauge, their copper area is the same. Stranded wire is made of many small strands bundled together, and those strands don’t pack into a circle as efficiently as a single solid core. The result is that the bundle has to fit inside a larger outer diameter to enclose all the copper strands, even before considering insulation. So, with the same gauge, the stranded conductor ends up larger in diameter than a solid conductor. The other options don’t fit because they would imply the bundle fits into the same or a smaller circle, which isn’t possible given the extra packing between multiple strands.