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What is the meaning of different type of grounds in electronic circuits? Can we use any ground in any circuit or not?

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They represent different ground types.

The first is "circuit ground" and is a reference point in the circuit against which all voltages are measured.

The second is chassis ground and represents a connection to the metal enclosure the circuit is in.

The third represents earth ground and is a physical connection to the ground under your feet.

3 is often used in place of 1 though.

Also you sometimes get various different combinations of the three representing different ground zones in a circuit (digital ground, analog ground, power ground, etc) at the designer's discretion.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I agree with you, but are these differences standardized or it's just a sort of a convention? \$\endgroup\$ Jul 5, 2014 at 13:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ They are as standard as resistors. I.e., some people use /\/\/ and some use |====| ;) It's standard, but not everyone sticks to the standard. \$\endgroup\$
    – Majenko
    Jul 5, 2014 at 13:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ Personally I use the triangular thing for resistances and the box style for generic impedances, possibly purely resistive \$\endgroup\$ Jul 5, 2014 at 16:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ Officially /\/\/ is an American resistor, and |====| is a European resistor. I'm British (alas) and I was brought up on /\/\/ for resistors, and still use them to this day. \$\endgroup\$
    – Majenko
    Jul 5, 2014 at 16:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah I know that, but I think the box style is also official for impedances, so that's it. Here in Pisa (Italy) we use (they teach) the American style resistor anyway. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 5, 2014 at 16:21

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