Electrical appliances in homes are normally earthed so that

Electrical appliances in homes are normally earthed so that a person touching the appliances is safe from electric shock. Earthing provides a safety mechanism by connecting the metal case of an electrical appliance to the earth through a conductor. In the event of a fault in the appliance, such as a short circuit, the current will flow through the earth wire instead of the person's body, preventing electric shock. By connecting the metal case of an appliance to the earth, the potential difference (PD) between the appliance and the earth is reduced to zero, ensuring that the appliance is maintained at a lower PD than the earth. Therefore, "the appliances are maintained at a lower pd than the earth" is the correct answer.