What do GREEN wires with or without YELLOW stripes signify?

• A. equipment grounding conductors
• B. AC grounded conductor
• C. DC grounded conductors
• D. wires that remain energized after the machine is disconnected from power

Answer: (A)

Green wires, with or without a yellow stripe, identify the equipment grounding conductor. This is the safety bond that connects the machine’s metal parts to earth, providing a low-resistance path for fault current so protective devices can trip and the exposed parts stay at earth potential. They do not carry normal operating current, nor are they used as neutral or live conductors. The neutral in AC circuits is typically white or gray, and DC systems have different conventions, but green (and green-yellow) is reserved for grounding. Wires that remain energized after disconnection describe live conductors, which is dangerous and not the purpose of grounding wires.