Grounding

Grounding connects an electrical system or conductive enclosure to earth or a designated reference conductor, providing a path for fault current and a stable voltage reference.

Protective Earthing: A connection between exposed conductive parts and earth intended to reduce electric-shock risk during faults. It is the safety-focused form of grounding used to carry fault current away from exposed enclosures.
Electric Potential: The potential energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field. Grounding constrains or defines potential relative to a chosen reference.
Electrical Wiring: The conductors and associated components that distribute electricity within buildings and equipment. Building wiring uses grounding conductors to connect enclosures and support fault protection.
Floating Ground: A circuit reference that has no intentional direct connection to earth. It contrasts earth-referenced grounding by allowing the circuit's common-mode voltage to float.
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter: A protective device that disconnects a circuit when it detects an imbalance between outgoing and returning current. It can interrupt leakage current even when grounding alone does not clear a fault.
Electrical Circuit: A closed path through which electric current can flow. Grounding is a connection within a circuit, not a substitute for its complete current path.
Grounding System (Electrical Power): The arrangement of grounded points and conductors in an electrical power system. Power-system grounding establishes source references and influences fault behavior.
Signal Ground: A reference node used to define voltages in an electronic signal circuit. Signal ground serves measurement and communication functions that protective earth does not.
Equipotential Bonding: The electrical connection of conductive parts to reduce voltage differences between them. Bonding limits dangerous touch voltages alongside grounding.
Earth (Electricity): The conductive mass of the planet used as an electrical reference or current path. Earth is the reference and fault-current destination in earth-referenced grounding.

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