Term ground mean in an ELECTRONIC circuit?

[Pranav Jha]

term "ground" mean in an ELECTRONIC circuit?

What does the term "ground" mean in an ELECTRONIC circuit?
A bus strip usually contains two columns: one for GROUND and one for a supply voltage. What does ground mean in this context and how do we ground a circuit while using a breadboard?

 

[cepheid]

Ground refers to the potential with respect to which all voltages are measured in the circuit. In other words, we define V = 0 here. Sometimes (but not always), the ground connection can also provide a return path for the current through the circuit. This is true in the case where you connect a power supply across the rails of your breadboard, so that the - terminal of the supply is at ground.

 

[_DJ_british_?]

Has Cepheid said, the ground, in theoretical circuits (it might not be true in real life, but you should't bother about this now!), is where you put the voltage to zero (i.e. since you only want voltage difference, it's a specified point where V=0).

 

[berkeman]

What does the term "ground" mean in an ELECTRONIC circuit?
A bus strip usually contains two columns: one for GROUND and one for a supply voltage. What does ground mean in this context and how do we ground a circuit while using a breadboard?

Good question, Pranav. In addition to the good answers provided so far...

"Ground" in electronic circuit diagrams and on instruments often refers to "Earth Ground", which is the 3rd wire routed to electrical outlets. This galvanic connection is supposed to be a low-impedance connection to Earth Ground, and is not supposed to support currents in the ground conductors. So it's a good place to dump transient currents (ESD, Surge, Burst, etc.), but it's not part of the regular differential power delivery connection from the AC Mains (Hot-Neutral).
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