Umair Gaines
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. The volt (V) is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force. The volt is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, who possibly invented the first chemical battery. Electric potential is the potential energy per unit charge, and the relationship between potential difference (or voltage) and electrical potential energy is given by the equation $\Delta U = q\Delta V$. While voltage and energy are related, they are not the same thing. For example, a motorcycle battery and a car battery can have the same voltage but different energy storage capacities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Voltage | Electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension |
| The difference in electric potential between two points | |
| The volt (V) is the derived unit for voltage | |
| The volt is named after Italian physicist Alessandro Volta | |
| Voltage is the energy per unit charge | |
| Voltage is not the same as energy | |
| Voltage is the cause of the current flow | |
| The higher the voltage, the more the current flow between two points | |
| Electric potential | Electric potential is a value that, when multiplied by a charge value, gives the potential energy of a particle |
| Electric potential is the energy per unit charge gained or lost when a charge is moved from a reference point where the potential is defined as zero | |
| Electric potential is an absolute number | |
| Electric potential is potential energy per unit charge |
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What You'll Learn
Voltage is the energy per unit charge
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, represents the difference in electric potential between two points. It is the energy per unit charge and is measured in volts (V).
Voltage is the cause of the current flow, while the current is the effect of voltage. The higher the voltage, the greater the current flow between two points. Voltage can be understood as the work needed per unit of charge to move a positive test charge from one point to another in a static electric field.
To illustrate this concept, consider a water tank with a hose at the bottom. The water pressure at the end of the hose is equivalent to the voltage or potential difference in an electric circuit. If you increase the amount of water in the tank, the pressure at the end of the hose increases, and vice versa. Similarly, in an electric circuit, the work done to move electrons is equal to the electrical pressure difference multiplied by the quantity of electrical charges moved.
The voltmeter is a common instrument used to measure voltage between two points in a system. It is important to specify the points across which the voltage is being measured. Voltage is related to energy, but they are distinct concepts. For example, a motorcycle battery and a car battery can have the same voltage but supply different amounts of energy.
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Electric potential is the energy per unit charge gained or lost
Electric potential, also known as electric field potential, potential drop, or electrostatic potential, is defined as electric potential energy per unit of electric charge. In other words, it is the amount of work needed to move a test charge from a reference point to a specific point in a static electric field. The reference point is typically earth or a point at infinity, although any point can be used.
The electric potential at the reference point is zero units. The electric potential due to an idealized point charge is continuous in all space except at the location of the point charge. An electric field is not continuous across an idealized surface charge, but it is not infinite at any point. Therefore, the electric potential is continuous across an idealized surface charge.
Electric potential is related to voltage, which is also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension. Voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to move a positive test charge from the first point to the second point. The volt (V) is the derived unit for voltage, and it is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta.
While electric potential and voltage are related, they are not the same thing. For example, a motorcycle battery and a car battery can have the same voltage but supply different amounts of energy. This is because voltage is the energy per unit charge, so the battery that can move more charge will supply more energy.
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Voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is indeed the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to move a positive test charge from the first point to the second point.
The volt (V) is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force. The volt is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, who possibly invented the first chemical battery.
The electric potential is an absolute number. It is the value that, when multiplied by a charge value, gives the potential energy for a specific particle. Electric potential is the energy per unit of charge. Voltage, on the other hand, is the difference in potential between two arbitrary points at which the potential is not necessarily zero.
The potential difference between two points corresponds to the pressure difference between those points. For example, in a water circuit, a pump that creates a pressure difference between two points will enable water to flow from one point to the other, doing work such as driving a turbine. Similarly, in an electric circuit, the voltage provided by a battery can "push" a current through the windings of a starter motor.
In an electric circuit, the work done to move electrons is equal to the electrical pressure difference multiplied by the quantity of electrical charges moved. The larger the pressure difference between two points, the greater the flow between them.
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Voltage is not a formal term
The term "voltage" is used in reference to electric potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension. It is the difference in electric potential between two points in an electric field. The volt (V) is the derived unit for voltage.
While the terms "voltage" and "electric potential difference" are often used interchangeably, some sources suggest that they are not exactly the same. It is important to note that the term "voltage" is not considered a formal term and, therefore, does not have a formal definition. Instead, it is used in a practical sense to describe what is measured with a voltmeter.
In a static electric field or a DC circuit, a voltmeter measures the difference in potential between two points. However, in the case of an oscilloscope measuring the EMF induced in a coil by a changing magnetic field, the measurement has units of volts and can be referred to as a "voltage," but it is not a difference in potential. This is because there is no well-defined electric potential in this scenario.
Electric potential, or electric potential energy, is a value that, when multiplied by a charge value, gives the potential energy of a specific particle. It is the energy per unit charge, and its units are energy per unit charge (joules per coulomb). This unit is also referred to as voltage.
To summarize, while "voltage" and "electric potential difference" are closely related and often used interchangeably, "voltage" is not a formal term with a strict definition. It is used operationally to describe measurements made with a voltmeter, which captures the difference in electric potential between two points.
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Electric potential can be generalized to electrodynamics
Electric potential, also known as voltage, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. It is the amount of work needed to move a unit charge from a reference point to a specific point against an electric field. The reference point is typically Earth, but any point beyond the influence of the electric field charge can be used.
The electric potential can be generalized to electrodynamics, so that differences in electric potential between points are well-defined even in the presence of time-varying fields. However, unlike in electrostatics, the electric field can no longer be expressed solely in terms of the electric potential. The potential is also no longer uniquely determined up to a constant and can take on significantly different forms depending on the choice of gauge.
In electrodynamics, when time-varying fields are present, the electric field can be expressed as both the scalar electric potential and the magnetic vector potential. The two kinds of potential are mixed under Lorentz transformations. The electric potential is a continuous function in all space, as a spatial derivative of a discontinuous electric potential would yield an electric field of infinite magnitude.
The volt (V) is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force. It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, who possibly invented the first chemical battery. Voltage is the difference in electric potential energy per unit charge between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to move a positive test charge from one point to another.
In an electrical circuit, the work done to move electrons or other charge carriers is equal to the "electrical pressure difference" multiplied by the quantity of electrical charges moved. The larger the "pressure difference" between two points, the greater the flow between them.
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Frequently asked questions
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. The volt (V) is the derived unit for voltage.
Electric potential is the value that, when multiplied by a charge value, gives the potential energy for a specific particle. It is the energy per unit charge gained or lost when a charge is moved from a reference point where the potential is defined as zero.
Yes, they are the same. However, voltage is not a formal term and is used in practice to refer to what we measure with a voltmeter.
