Which term describes the conductor intended to be connected to the earth in a system?

Which term describes the conductor intended to be connected to the earth in a system?

• A. Grounded or Neutral Conductor
• B. Grounding Conductor
• C. Bonding Conductor
• D. High-leg conductor

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is distinguishing between conductors that establish a reference to earth and those that provide safety paths. The conductor that is intentionally connected to earth at the system’s neutral point and serves as the return path for normal current is the grounded conductor, which is essentially the neutral. This is different from the grounding (equipment grounding) conductor, which provides a path to earth for fault currents and normally carries little or no current during normal operation. A bonding conductor is used to tie metal parts together to keep them at the same potential, not to carry normal current or set the system’s reference. The high-leg conductor is a specific term for one leg in a delta system with a higher voltage to neutral, not about earth reference in general. So the term describing the conductor that is intended to be connected to the earth in a system is the grounded or neutral conductor.

The key idea here is distinguishing between conductors that establish a reference to earth and those that provide safety paths. The conductor that is intentionally connected to earth at the system’s neutral point and serves as the return path for normal current is the grounded conductor, which is essentially the neutral. This is different from the grounding (equipment grounding) conductor, which provides a path to earth for fault currents and normally carries little or no current during normal operation. A bonding conductor is used to tie metal parts together to keep them at the same potential, not to carry normal current or set the system’s reference. The high-leg conductor is a specific term for one leg in a delta system with a higher voltage to neutral, not about earth reference in general. So the term describing the conductor that is intended to be connected to the earth in a system is the grounded or neutral conductor.