If there is supposed to be resistance but none is detected, what is this condition called?

When there is supposed to be a certain level of resistance in a circuit but none is detected, this condition is indicative of an open circuit. In an open circuit, the flow of electricity is interrupted, which can occur due to a broken wire, a disconnected component, or any interruption in the continuity of the circuit. This lack of continuity prevents current from flowing, resulting in zero resistance being detected.

On the other hand, a short circuit implies that there is an unintended low-resistance connection between two points in a circuit, which allows excessive current to flow, and this would be fundamentally different from having no resistance at all. A ground fault typically refers to an accidental connection to the ground that causes current leakage, while a fault is a more general term indicating any malfunction in a system.

Thus, the condition where resistance is expected but none is detected aligns best with the definition of an open circuit.