The wider prong is the neutral side of the circuit

"Aloysius Q Roger-YoMama" wrote in message
...

I live in a little house built in 1954. It has a certain number of
ungrounded receptacles.

In the context of DC power, I have some notion of the importance of
polarity.

For years, all small electrical devices/accessories (i.e. extension cords)
with 2-prong male plugs that I've seen have 1 wide and 1 thinner blade.
To facilitate connections and minimize hassle, I've been grinding the
wider to the width of the thinner blade.

This'll likely qualify as a "naive question". In the context of
single-phase
power and small ~120v 60 hz AC ("Alternating Current") household devices,
what purpose does having 1 blade wider than the other serve?

Thanks,
AQ