[SOLVED] AC voltage through earth (ground)

[tahir4awan]

As we all know that earth is a good conductor and we practically see in house wiring or in utility poles that metal is grounded to avoid electric shocks.
I did an experiment to check earth conductivity.I took the wire from house board
i.e 220 volts AC and connect it to one terminal of the Lamp and I have a ground in my house i.e a metal pipe deep inserted in the earth so I connect the second terminal of the lamp to the earth and Lamp glows.

But we know that current flows in a closed loop then how come a earth ground makes a closed loop. If we consider that earth is a good conductor then the current only goes in the earth but cannot comes out of the earth as AC reverses its direction.

Please help me to get rid of this confusion

 

[keith1200rs]

The neutral line is grounded, but remotely (at the sub-station maybe). So neutral and earth are at similar voltages connected by the ground. There can be a couple of volts difference between the local earth and neutral because of the distance between them.

Keith

 

[FvM]

then the current only goes in the earth but cannot comes out of the earth as AC reverses its direction

The consideration as far as related to AC seems absurd, but anyway, the assumptions are incorrect, you actually have a closed loop, see Earthing system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your experiment setup, if actually carried out with 230V mains supply, can endanger not only you but also other persons in your house, you better stop it. There have been cases of people killed in a bathtub due to a distant electrical fault and a broken earthing of water supply tubes.