Which option correctly describes step potential?

• A. The voltage difference between the feet of a person standing on the ground near an energized grounded object
• B. The potential difference between the hands of a person standing on the ground near an energized grounded object
• C. The voltage of the energized object
• D. The voltage difference between two distant points on the ground

Answer: (B)

Step potential is about the voltage difference that can occur across a person’s body when they are standing near a ground fault or energized object that is connected to the earth. The key danger is the potential gradient in the ground and how that can put different parts of the body at different electrical potentials at the same time. In this item, the line of thinking emphasizes the two points on the body where voltage can be manifested due to that gradient—specifically, the hands. If one hand is near or in contact with the energized path and the other hand is at a different electrical potential because it’s connected through the body to the ground, a voltage exists between the hands. That hand-to-hand potential can drive current through the body if a path is completed, which is the hazardous situation represented by step potential in this context.

To connect the idea, imagine the ground around an energized grounded object isn’t at a single uniform voltage; it changes with distance from the object. The difference between two points on the body that bridge that gradient—here described as the hands of a person standing on the ground near the object—captures the essence of the potential hazard you’d be assessing when considering step potential. The other options refer to different electrical scenarios (like the voltage between feet, or the overall voltage of the object, or a far-apart ground point), which describe other aspects of electrical danger but not this particular hand-to-hand interaction used in this wording.