The wire and the cable are very similar but there are some differences as well. In general, the cable consists of a number of wires but to answer "how many of them are within a cable" some factors must be considered. Wires are usually made of copper or aluminum, and these conductive materials act as wire insulation to power different parts of your home. When installing new wiring, choosing the right wire or cable is half the battle. On the other hand, when examining old wiring in your home, the identification of the wire type can tell you a lot about the circuit to which the wires belong (if you open a junction box, for example, you need to determine which wires are where). 
Wiring in modern homes is fairly standard, and most homes built after the mid-1960s have a similar type of wiring. Any new electrical installation will require new wiring that complies with local building codes. Below, learn about the different types of household electrical wiring to choose the right option to complete your electrical project accurately and safely. It helps to understand some basic terms used to describe wiring. A wire is a conductor, a material that conducts electricity. In the case of home wiring, the conductors themselves are usually copper or aluminum (or copper-clad aluminum) and are solid metal conductors or stranded wire. Most wires in your home are insulated, meaning they are wrapped in a non-conductive plastic coating. A notable exception is the ground wire, which is usually solid copper, either insulated with a green jacket or bare (bare). Non-metallic (NM) cable, often called "Romex" by a popular brand, is a circuit wire designed for indoor use in dry locations. NM is the most common type of wiring found in modern homes. It consists of two or more individual wires wrapped in a protective plastic sheath. NM cables typically contain one or more "hot" (current-carrying) wires, a neutral wire, and a ground wire. These conductors are installed with white (usually neutral) and black (usually hot) insulation. Most NM cables have a flat, tubular shape and pass invisibly through your home's wall, ceiling and floor cavities. Almost all wiring in sockets and light fixtures in modern homes is NM cable. This type of wire is used for hidden applications in walls as it is cheaper than using pipes. The most common sizes and their amperage (amp) ratings are:
- 14 gauge (15 amp circuit)
- 12 gauge (20 amp circuit)
- No. 10 (30 amp circuit)
- No. 8 (40 amp circuit)
- No. 6 (55 amp circuit)
NM cables are now sold with a color-coded outer jacket to indicate their wire gauge:
- White jacket indicates NM cable with 14 gauge conductors.
- Yellow jacket indicates NM cable with 12 gauge conductors.
- Orange jacket indicates NM cable with 10 gauge conductors.
- Black jacketed cable for 6 and 8 gauge wire.
- The gray jacket is not used for NM cables, but is reserved for underground (UF) cables or service entrance cables (SE or SER).
It is dangerous to handle NM cables when the circuit conductors are live. The Underground Feeder (UF) is a non-metallic cable designed for use in wet locations and buried directly in the ground. It is often used to supply outdoor fixtures such as lampposts. Like standard NM cables, UF contains insulated live and neutral wires and a bare copper ground wire. However, while the jacket on NM cables is a separate plastic sheet, the UF cable jackets are solid plastic that surrounds each wire. This type of wire is also slightly more expensive than nanowires due to its durable insulation. UF cables are usually sold with a gray outer jacket. UF cable is also used for main circuit wiring and can carry dangerous voltages when the circuit is open. THHN and THWN are codes for the two most common types of insulated wire used in conduit. Unlike NM cables, where two or more individually insulated conductors (copper or aluminum) are bundled in a plastic sheath, THHN and THWN wires are single conductors, each with color-coded insulation. These wires are not protected by NM cable sheaths, but rather tubular metal or plastic pipes. Conduit is often used in unfinished areas, such as basements and garages, and for briefly exposed wiring inside the home, such as line connections for garbage disposals and water heaters. 
These lines are generally priced similar to NM lines (plus the cost of pipelines). Letters indicate specific characteristics of wire insulation:
- T: Thermoplastic
- H: heat resistant; HH means highly heat resistant
- W: Rating for wet locations
- N: Nylon coating for extra protection
THHN and THWN wires have colored jackets that are often used to identify their function in a circuit:
- Hotline: Black, Red, Orange
- Neutral wire: white, brown
- Earth wire: green, yellow-green
The THHN and THWN wires are circuit wires and should never be handled when opening a circuit. Low-voltage wires are used for circuits that typically require 50 volts or less. A few common types are landscape lighting wiring, sprinkler system connections, bell wiring (for doorbells), speaker system wiring, and thermostat wiring. Wire sizes range from approximately 22 gauge to 12 gauge, and these wires can be made of copper or aluminum. Low-voltage wires are usually insulated and may be contained in cable sheaths or combined into twisted pairs, similar to light wires. It can only be used in low voltage applications. These are usually very small wires that are very different from standard circuit wires, and they tend to cost less than other household wires. Serious shocks are rare with low-voltage power lines, but it's a good idea to turn off the equipment before using it. Telephone and data lines are low-voltage wires used for "landline" telephone and Internet connections, usually made of copper. Telephone lines can contain four or eight wires. Category 5 (Cat 5) cable is the most common type of household data cable and consists of four pairs of eight wires twisted together. It can be used for telephony and data transfer and offers greater capacity and quality than standard telephone lines. Like low-voltage wiring, it is generally cheaper than other types of household wiring, such as NM or UF cable. 
While data lines carry a small amount of voltage, anything below 30 volts is generally considered safe (household circuits carry about 120 volts). However, data cables always run the risk of coming into contact with household wiring, so you should handle them with care and avoid touching exposed wires. Coaxial cables are beginning to become less common due to the use of other forms of data cables, such as HDMI, to transmit TV data. A coaxial cable is a round, sheathed cable characterized by an inner conductor (usually copper) surrounded by a tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conductive shield made of braided wire. It can be identified by the threaded connectors used for connections and device connections. The coaxial cable used to be the standard for connecting televisions to antennas or cable service transmissions and is still often used to connect satellite dishes or to bring subscription television services to home distribution points. It usually has black or white insulation and is perfectly rounded so that it can be easily distinguished from NM circuit cables. Affordable coaxial cables are available at most hardware and electronics stores. The coaxial signal carries very little voltage, so it is unlikely to cause any kind of shock - provided the cable is not in contact with another power source. Whether you're replacing old wiring in your home or adding new ones, choosing the right type is important. Always choose the cord that is intended for the purpose for which you intend to use it. For example, in humid outdoor locations, UF wire should always be chosen to keep your home's electrical system safe from the elements. The amperage and volts of each wire should also be considered, and the wires must be matched to the correct needs of each electrical project. If you are not sure what type of wire you need, it is helpful to consult a professional electrician before installing any type of wire in your home.