Ground

The circuit's common reference point, defined as 0V.

How it works

Ground (often abbreviated as GND) is the reference point for all voltage measurements in a circuit. Voltage is a measure of potential difference between two points, so we arbitrarily define the Ground point as exactly 0 Volts. All other voltages in the circuit are measured relative to this point.

In portable electronics, Ground is simply the negative terminal of the battery. In mains-powered systems, Earth Ground is physically connected to the earth via a metal rod, providing a safe path for fault currents to dissipate to prevent electric shock.

Common Mistakes

Having multiple independent circuits with floating grounds. If you try to send a logic signal from an Arduino to a separate motor controller, they must share a common ground connection, or the signal voltage will have no mutual reference point and will not be read correctly.

Standard Component

This component does not have distinct values or part numbers. The standard version is available in the simulator.