I can't understand why (other than for safety resons) I need to ground a 110V electrical ballast fluorescent light fixture . Doesn't the actual operation of the light work just as well ungrounded?

Thanks

Fluorescent bulbs need a "starter", a capacitor, until the gas is heated. Fixtures use to have such a device, a little round, plug like device. Great engineers found that the metal frame of fixture could perform same function if the frame was within 1/2" of the bulb and grounded. Therefore the need to ground.