What does it mean to "bond" electrical components?

Bonding electrical components refers to the practice of connecting them in such a way that they share the same electrical potential. This is critical for safety and proper operation, as it helps to prevent electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires. By ensuring that different components are at the same voltage level, bonding minimizes the potential difference that could lead to current flowing through unintended paths, which is particularly important in grounding and lightning protection systems.

In the context of electrical systems, bonding is often seen in applications involving metal enclosures, water pipes, and other conductive materials to ensure that they are all at the same electrical potential. This is vital in establishing a safe grounding system where fault currents can safely flow to the ground, preventing any hazardous voltage from appearing on these surfaces.

The other options do not accurately reflect the meaning of bonding. Connecting components in series pertains to how they are arranged in a circuit to affect current flow and voltage distribution, isolating components would mean disconnecting them to prevent any interaction, and increasing current flow involves manipulation of circuit parameters rather than establishing electrical potential equality.