What does "bonding" mean in electrical work?

In the context of electrical work, "bonding" specifically refers to the practice of connecting all metallic parts together for safety. This is a critical safety measure intended to ensure that all metal components within an electrical system maintain the same electrical potential. By bonding these metallic parts, the risk of electric shock and fire hazards caused by faulty insulation or equipment failures is significantly reduced.

When metallic parts are bonded, it creates a low-resistance path for fault currents, allowing protective devices, like circuit breakers or fuses, to function effectively. This helps prevent hazardous conditions by ensuring that any stray currents have a safe path to ground, thus minimizing the chance of electric shock or other electrical hazards.

The other options pertain to different aspects of electrical work, such as connecting non-metallic parts or wiring within circuits, but they do not encompass the specific safety function of bonding metallic components as described.