Hydraulic-Electric Analogies: Reservoirs and Grounds (.PDF Download)

The term ground may cause confusion because of the way it’s used, especially in electronic control systems. Let’s first clarify what ground is and what it is not. The term derives from the fact that the electrical power industry uses earth as a conductor. This reality erroneously leads many people to believe that earth “sucks up” all the excess current by some perceived magic. Coupling that with TV pictures, typically from drama-seeking reporters, of hurricane-downed power lines dancing and arcing in the storm only reinforces and perpetuates the myth...

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