Which statement best describes a GFCI’s reaction to a fault?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes a GFCI’s reaction to a fault?

Explanation:
A GFCI protects people by sensing leakage current to ground and shutting the circuit off quickly. It compares the current on the hot conductor with the current returning on the neutral. If they match, everything’s normal. If some current leaks to the ground due to a fault, the currents become imbalanced, and the GFCI trips, opening the circuit in a fraction of a second to prevent shock. It isn’t about power factor changes, voltage regulation, or storing energy for surge suppression—those are functions of other devices.

A GFCI protects people by sensing leakage current to ground and shutting the circuit off quickly. It compares the current on the hot conductor with the current returning on the neutral. If they match, everything’s normal. If some current leaks to the ground due to a fault, the currents become imbalanced, and the GFCI trips, opening the circuit in a fraction of a second to prevent shock. It isn’t about power factor changes, voltage regulation, or storing energy for surge suppression—those are functions of other devices.

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