The gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process uses __________ to melt metal wire and fuse it with the base metal being welded.

In gas metal arc welding (GMAW), electricity plays a crucial role as it generates the heat needed to melt the metal wire and fuse it to the base metal. The process utilizes a continuous feed of solid wire that serves as both the filler material and the electrode. When an electric arc is formed between the wire and the base metal, it produces sufficient heat to melt both the wire and a part of the base metal. This molten material then solidifies to create a strong weld.

In GMAW, there is no requirement for gases like oxygen or acetylene, which are more commonly associated with other welding techniques such as oxy-fuel welding. Additionally, tungsten is used in tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, but not in GMAW, where the consumable wire serves different functions. Therefore, it is the electricity that is fundamental to the operation of the GMAW process.