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Electricity always returns to ______.

The correct answer here is 'the source' if you are looking for the word 'ground' or 'earth' that is not correct.
This "electricity always goes to ground" myth is one which seems to be widely held.

In a grounded system, the earth can provide a convenient path back to the source (either intentionally or by accident), but the current is still returning to source, not to ground. The ground just happens to be a suitable path back to the source.

If you don't believe this, take a battery and bulb and connect them up so the bulb lights (no other external connections, so this is an ungrounded system at this point). Now, using an ammeter in series, connect one side of the battery to ground. You will see a zero reading, because only one point on the system is grounded.

(If you drove another ground rod and connected it the other side of the battery, then you would register a current on the meter.)




[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 04-20-2005).]