The symbol for earth wire (also often called a ground wire) is ⏚.
This symbol is used on electrical schematics and diagrams to represent the connection to earth ground, which provides a low-resistance path for fault current to flow back to the source, thereby tripping a circuit breaker or fuse and preventing electrical shock. It's an essential safety component in electrical systems.
Different variations of the earth ground symbol exist, but the most common is the one shown above. Other variations include:
- A symbol consisting of three horizontal lines, with the bottom line being the longest and each subsequent line shorter than the one below it, pointing downwards.
The earth wire itself is typically green and yellow striped in many countries to easily identify it. Connecting electrical equipment to earth ground is crucial for safety, preventing electric shock by providing a path for fault currents to flow harmlessly.
