Among various electrical safety devices, one based on the heating effect of electric current is called a:

The correct answer is Fuse.

• Fuse is a piece of wire of a material with a very low melting point.
• When a high current flows through the circuit due to overloading or a short circuit, the wires get heated and melts.
• As a result, the circuit is broken and current stops flowing.
• The fuse is always connected in the live path because if the live wire gets short-circuited somewhere within the appliance and results in the high current then the fuse can blow and protect the appliance.

Additional Information

• A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field.
  • It is a passive electronic component with two terminals.
  • The effect of a capacitor is known as capacitance. 
• A surge protector is an electrical device that is used to protect equipment against power surges and voltage spikes while blocking voltage over a safe threshold (approximately 120 V). 
• A Protective Relay is a device that detects the fault and initiates the operation of the circuit breaker to isolate the defective element from the rest of the system.