Final answer:
Wires are bonded in powerplant installations for safety, and system stability, and to prevent damage to the electrical system by providing a common ground to divert faults like a short circuit. This simplifies wiring, especially in vehicles, and enhances the efficiency of electric power transmission by minimizing resistive losses over long distances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wires are bonded in powerplant installations to ensure safety, and system stability, and to prevent damage to the electrical system. One aspect of this is the creation of a common electrical ground which is part of a technique called grounding or earthing. This connects some points of an electrical circuit to the ground, thus providing a path for current to flow harmlessly into the Earth should a fault occur, such as a short circuit. Grounding helps to protect both people and equipment from electrical surges. In automotive applications, bonding one battery terminal to the car's metal body allows the body itself to serve as a ground and the return path for current. This approach eliminates the need for two wires to complete circuits for electrical devices, simplifying wiring and saving space and material. This technique is common in cars and many other electrical systems.
Regarding tollbooth installations, sometimes a wire or sensor is embedded in the pavement to detect the presence of a vehicle as it approaches the toll station. This serves as a trigger for the toll system to prepare for a transaction or for monitoring traffic flow and does not directly relate to grounding. To address concerns about efficiency in electrical transmission, power is transmitted at high voltages over long distances to reduce current and consequently minimize resistive losses, also known as Joule heating. Efficient transmission is critical as it minimizes energy loss and improves the overall efficiency of the power distribution system Finally, the use of certain materials like aluminium, often reinforced with a steel core, in overhead power lines is due to their high electrical conductivity and tensile strength, which prevent breakage over long spans. Gold is also mentioned as a material for wires due to its excellent resistance to corrosion, although it is not used for power lines due to cost and practicality.