What device is used to connect the body to ground and drain static charges when handling electronic components?

What device is used to connect the body to ground and drain static charges when handling electronic components?

• A. Grounding plug
• B. Wrist strap
• C. Insulating gloves
• D. Static-dissipative bag

Answer: (B)

The device used to connect the body to ground and drain static charges is a wrist strap. A wrist strap is worn on the wrist and includes a conductive cord that attaches to a grounded point, such as a grounded outlet or a grounded anti-static mat. This setup keeps your body at essentially earth potential, so any static charge you accumulate is continuously bled off to ground instead of building up on you or on sensitive electronic components. The cord often contains a small resistor (around 1 megohm) to limit current if a fault occurs, providing protection while maintaining effective discharge. Grounding plugs provide a ground path for equipment, not a wearable path for the operator. Insulating gloves prevent electrical shock but do not provide a discharge path to ground, and they can trap charges rather than dissipate them. Static-dissipative bags are used to store or transport components with reduced resistance to charge buildup, but they don’t create the body-to-ground path needed during handling.

The device used to connect the body to ground and drain static charges is a wrist strap. A wrist strap is worn on the wrist and includes a conductive cord that attaches to a grounded point, such as a grounded outlet or a grounded anti-static mat. This setup keeps your body at essentially earth potential, so any static charge you accumulate is continuously bled off to ground instead of building up on you or on sensitive electronic components. The cord often contains a small resistor (around 1 megohm) to limit current if a fault occurs, providing protection while maintaining effective discharge.

Grounding plugs provide a ground path for equipment, not a wearable path for the operator. Insulating gloves prevent electrical shock but do not provide a discharge path to ground, and they can trap charges rather than dissipate them. Static-dissipative bags are used to store or transport components with reduced resistance to charge buildup, but they don’t create the body-to-ground path needed during handling.