Ground (electricity):

In electrical engineering, ground or soil can be the reference point in an electrical circuit, measured from which other voltages, or a common return path for electric current or a direct physical connection to the earth.

A typical grounding electrode (left) on a new home in Australia. Note the green and yellow markings earth wire.Electrical circuits can be connected to (ground) for several reasons ground. In the powered network equipment, exposed metal parts are connected to ground to prevent contact with hazardous voltages, if electrical isolation is not.

A connection is limited to the ground, the tension between circuits and the ground up, the protection circuit insulation from damage due to excessive tension. Connections to limit the development of static electricity when handling flammable products ground or in the repair of electronic equipment. In some telegraph and power transmission circuits, the earth will be used as a conductor of the circuit, saving the cost of installing a separate return conductor.

To measure the earth serves as a (reasonably) constant reference voltage is measured against the other potentials can be. An electrical grounding system should have an adequate current carrying capacity to serve as an adequate zero-voltage reference value. In the electronic circuit theory, an "idealized soil is usually as an infinite source or sink of charge that an unlimited amount of electricity without having to take their full potential. If a ground connection has a lot of opposition, is to approximate the zero potential is no longer valid.

Stray voltage or ground potential rise effects occur, which can generate noise signals, or if large enough, an electric shock will produce. The use of the concept of the ground (or earth) is so common in electrical and electronic applications may be, the circuits in vehicles such as ships, aircraft and satellites will be spoken of as a "ground" connection without any actual connection to the earth.