The continuity of a grounded conductor shall not be dependent upon the device in ___.

• A. any branch circuit
• B. multiwire branch circuits
• C. multioutlet assemblies
• D. individual branch circuits

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that in a multiwire branch circuit, the neutral (the grounded conductor) must remain continuous and not rely on any device to provide that connection. When two hot conductors share a common neutral, interrupting the neutral path through a switch or other device in one part of the circuit can leave the neutral open or floating, which can cause hazardous voltages on the shared return and create shock or equipment risks for other parts of the circuit. To prevent that, the grounded conductor must pass through the box and devices without depending on them for its continuity.

This is specifically a concern with multiwire branch circuits, where the shared neutral is vulnerable if its path is altered by a device. The other options describe broader or unrelated scenarios that don’t address the particular hazard posed by a neutral in a MWBC, so they don’t fit the requirement as accurately.