Which device detects leakage current and trips to prevent shock?

Which device detects leakage current and trips to prevent shock?

• A. GFCI
• B. AFCI
• C. Surge protector
• D. Bonding jumper

Answer: (A)

Ground-fault protection works by watching the current flowing in the hot and neutral conductors and looking for any leakage to ground. If some current escapes to a ground path—such as through a person who touches a live part—the currents no longer match. The device senses that imbalance and rapidly opens the circuit, typically in under a twentieth of a second, to prevent electric shock. This kind of protection is especially important in wet or damp locations where the risk of ground faults is higher. Arcing-fault devices, by contrast, look for characteristic arcing patterns to reduce fire risk, not for leakage to ground. Surge protectors aren’t designed to trip on small leakage currents; they handle voltage spikes and may divert or absorb them rather than disconnect the circuit. Bonding jumpers are used to establish equipotential bonding, not to trip the circuit in response to leakage.

Ground-fault protection works by watching the current flowing in the hot and neutral conductors and looking for any leakage to ground. If some current escapes to a ground path—such as through a person who touches a live part—the currents no longer match. The device senses that imbalance and rapidly opens the circuit, typically in under a twentieth of a second, to prevent electric shock. This kind of protection is especially important in wet or damp locations where the risk of ground faults is higher.

Arcing-fault devices, by contrast, look for characteristic arcing patterns to reduce fire risk, not for leakage to ground. Surge protectors aren’t designed to trip on small leakage currents; they handle voltage spikes and may divert or absorb them rather than disconnect the circuit. Bonding jumpers are used to establish equipotential bonding, not to trip the circuit in response to leakage.