When two conductive parts are connected to establish electrical continuity, they are referred to as what?

When two conductive parts are connected to establish electrical continuity, they are referred to as bonded. Bonding is a critical aspect of electrical safety, as it ensures that all metal parts that may be energized or could carry current are at the same electrical potential. This is essential to prevent shock hazards and to ensure that a fault current has a safe path back to ground.

The process of bonding involves creating a low-resistance path between conductive components, which effectively reduces the risk of electrical shock in the event of a fault. This continuity allows safety devices like circuit breakers or fuses to operate properly by ensuring that fault currents can safely flow back to the source of supply, allowing protective devices to trip.

In contrast, while being grounded is related, it specifically refers to a connection to the earth or a conductive body that serves as the earth. Conducted and joined do not accurately convey the meaning of establishing electrical continuity in the context of connecting conductive parts for safety purposes. Thus, the term "bonded" correctly describes the practice of creating that necessary continuity.