Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Dk not if you live in the US. Live carry's the voltage, neutral is grounded. If you left them both floating and use a true ground reference on a multimeter you'll find 120 volts (or the local equivlant) on the live wire and 0 volts (maybe a few mv's) on the neutral wire. At least in the US's electrical system, high voltage AC in the US sometimes does anti-phase where the neutral wire carries an AC voltage 180 degrees out of phase, but not all, depends on how things are grounded outside and at the local power station. Depends on your country and exactly how the power is delivered. 3 phase in the US there is no neutral, just 3 AC phases. I'm not sure what is used around the world.
You are right, the two lines of AC do alternate and there is no real difference between the two if BOTH are left floating.
Did I mis-read something?
I was referring to a alternating current in general since the OP was asking why people say live voltages alternate but neutral is at zero.