What is the purpose of bonding in electrical systems?

The purpose of bonding in electrical systems is to provide a path for fault currents. This is a crucial safety measure that helps to ensure that any stray electrical current, which could arise from a fault in the system, has a safe and effective pathway to ground. By providing this path, bonding reduces the risk of electrical shock to individuals and minimizes the potential for equipment damage or fire hazards.

When bonding is correctly implemented, it helps to equalize the voltage between different conductive parts of an electrical system, which can prevent dangerous voltage differences that could lead to the unintended flow of electricity through people or structures. This is particularly important in maintaining safety in both residential and commercial installations, ensuring that, in the event of a fault, circuit breakers or fuses can operate correctly to clear the fault condition.

In contrast, options related to isolating the system from earth or increasing resistance do not align with the primary objective of bonding. Additionally, grounding the neutral specifically is a separate function that deals with stabilizing the voltage in an electrical system but does not encompass the broader purpose of bonding.