What must an ArcMap user ensure for a new feature class to participate in a geometric network?

For a new feature class to participate in a geometric network in ArcMap, it must reside within a feature dataset. This requirement is crucial because a geometric network is designed to model connected systems, such as utilities or transportation networks, and a feature dataset provides a spatial framework that ensures consistency for the feature classes it contains. The geometric network relies on the integrity and properties provided by the feature dataset, including maintaining the same coordinate system and spatial reference for the feature classes.

Additionally, a feature dataset allows for the grouping of related feature classes, enabling them to participate together within the geometric network. This structure is necessary for functionalities like connectivity rules, which define how the features of different classes interact with one another.

The other options, while they may have certain relevance in different contexts within ArcGIS, are not fundamental requirements for a feature class's participation in a geometric network. For instance, being z-enabled refers to three-dimensional geometry capabilities, which might be needed for other analyses but is not a prerequisite for joining a geometric network. Similarly, while ensuring the geometry type is appropriate for standard feature classes is essential, it does not specifically relate to the geometric network participation criteria. Lastly, while a geographic coordinate system is important for spatial data alignment, it is the feature dataset that