Which of the following statements is true about the protection provided by an MCB?

An MCB, or Miniature Circuit Breaker, is designed to automatically switch off electrical circuits when it detects conditions such as overloads and short-circuits. This automatic disconnection occurs to help prevent damage to the electrical wiring and connected devices while ensuring safety against fire hazards caused by excessive current flow.

Overloads occur when appliances draw more current than what the circuit is designed to handle, while short-circuits happen when there is a direct connection between the live and neutral wires, allowing current to flow unchecked. The MCB monitors the current and responds to these conditions by tripping and cutting off the electrical supply, thus protecting both the circuit and the connected devices.

For the other statements, earth faults refer to a fault condition where current leaks to the ground, which an MCB does not specifically protect against; it typically requires an ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) or an RCD (Residual Current Device) for that purpose. Neutral protection and surge protection are also not functions of an MCB, as it does not specifically monitor or safeguard against issues related to the neutral wire or transients in current flow due to surges.