This cable has a white,and a black and a uncover coper wire. What order should these three wires be in, in a three prong receptacle?

What kind of receptacle? What rating?

If this is for a typical electric dryer 12/2 CANNOT be used.

Thanks for the quick reply stanfortyman. If the cable was 10/2 with a third copper wire would that change things?

No. You need 10/3 w/ground cable.

#10 wire is needed for a 30 amp circuit, which is usually the size circuit for the typical residential dryer.

However, Code requires any NEW circuit for a dryer to be 4 wire, consisting of two hots, NEUTRAL, and bare or green equipment ground.

So, what are you trying to do? Use an existing 2 wire cable?

Or will you be installing a new cable?