What is the primary purpose of grounding in electrical systems?

The primary purpose of grounding in electrical systems is to provide safety by lowering voltage in case of a fault. Grounding creates a low-resistance path for electric current to flow safely into the earth in the event of a fault, such as a short circuit. This action helps to prevent shock hazards, protects equipment, and reduces the risk of electrical fires by allowing the protective devices, like circuit breakers or fuses, to operate properly by tripping or blowing if there is an overload or fault condition.

While enhancing circuit performance, preventing electrical fires, and storing excess energy are all relevant to electrical systems, they do not capture the essence and critical safety purpose that grounding serves in managing fault conditions and protecting both users and equipment.