On a shielded cable, floating the ground is a method used when

On a shielded cable, floating the ground is a method used when

• A. The shield is connected to the conductor
• B. One end of the shield is grounded
• C. The shield is removed
• D. Both ends of the shield are grounded

Answer: (B)

Shielding works by providing a conductive barrier that intercepts interference and drains it to ground. If the shield is grounded at both ends, any small voltage difference between equipment grounds can push current around the shield, creating a ground loop that can introduce noise into the signal. Grounding the shield at only one end gives the shield a single reference point, which reduces the chance of circulating loop currents while still offering effective shielding against external interference. Leaving the shield ungrounded at the other end would eliminate shielding effectiveness and leave the cable more susceptible to noise, so grounding one end is the balanced approach used to minimize ground loops while maintaining shielding.

Shielding works by providing a conductive barrier that intercepts interference and drains it to ground. If the shield is grounded at both ends, any small voltage difference between equipment grounds can push current around the shield, creating a ground loop that can introduce noise into the signal. Grounding the shield at only one end gives the shield a single reference point, which reduces the chance of circulating loop currents while still offering effective shielding against external interference. Leaving the shield ungrounded at the other end would eliminate shielding effectiveness and leave the cable more susceptible to noise, so grounding one end is the balanced approach used to minimize ground loops while maintaining shielding.