Which term describes electrically connecting metal parts of an electrical system to ensure they are at the same electrical potential?

Which term describes electrically connecting metal parts of an electrical system to ensure they are at the same electrical potential?

• A. Current
• B. Grounding
• C. Bonding
• D. Voltage

Answer: (C)

Bonding is the practice of electrically connecting metal parts of an electrical system so they sit at the same electrical potential. This helps prevent dangerous voltage differences between metal components that could be touched simultaneously, reducing shock risk and arcing if a fault occurs. It creates a continuous conductive path that ties together enclosures, conduits, rails, or other metal parts so they don’t develop surprise voltage relative to one another. It’s different from grounding, which is about connecting the system to the earth to establish a reference and give fault current a path to ground; bonding focuses on equalizing potential among metal parts rather than just pointing current to the earth. Current is merely the flow of electrons, and voltage is the potential difference driving that flow—neither describes the action of linking parts to keep them at the same potential.

Bonding is the practice of electrically connecting metal parts of an electrical system so they sit at the same electrical potential. This helps prevent dangerous voltage differences between metal components that could be touched simultaneously, reducing shock risk and arcing if a fault occurs. It creates a continuous conductive path that ties together enclosures, conduits, rails, or other metal parts so they don’t develop surprise voltage relative to one another.

It’s different from grounding, which is about connecting the system to the earth to establish a reference and give fault current a path to ground; bonding focuses on equalizing potential among metal parts rather than just pointing current to the earth. Current is merely the flow of electrons, and voltage is the potential difference driving that flow—neither describes the action of linking parts to keep them at the same potential.