Umair Gaines
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. It is a measure of the energy given to the charge carriers in a circuit. The electric potential difference between points A and B is defined as the change in potential energy of a charge q moved from A to B, divided by the charge. The unit of potential difference is joules per coulomb, with the derived unit being the volt (V), named after Alessandro Volta.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Electrical potential difference, also known as voltage, is the difference in electric potential between two points. |
| Formula | The electric potential difference between points (A) and (B), (V_B - V_A) is defined to be the change in potential energy of a charge (q) moved from (A) to (B), divided by the charge. |
| Unit | The unit of electric potential difference is volt (V). |
| Relation to energy | Voltage and energy are related but not the same. Voltage is the electric potential energy per unit charge. |
| Relation to current | The electric force "converts" a voltage difference to current. |
| Relation to pressure | Voltage is analogous to pressure difference. |
| Relation to height | Voltage is analogous to height. |
| Relation to resistance | Voltage loss is due to resistance. |
| Calculation | Voltmeters can be used to measure the voltage between two points in a system. |
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What You'll Learn
- Electric potential is the amount of work needed to move a test charge from a reference point to a specific point
- The volt is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force
- Voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points
- The potential difference of a supply is a measure of the energy given to the charge carriers in a circuit
- Voltage and energy are related but are not the same thing
Electric potential is the amount of work needed to move a test charge from a reference point to a specific point
Electric potential, or electric field potential, 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, but it can be any point beyond the influence of the electric field charge. The test charge used is small enough that its motion across the field is supposed to proceed with negligible acceleration, so as to avoid the test charge acquiring kinetic energy or producing radiation.
The electric potential difference between points A and B, or VB-VA, is defined as the change in potential energy of a charge q moved from A to B, divided by the charge. The units of potential difference are joules per coulomb, given the name volt (V) after Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force.
The electric potential at the reference point is zero units. The potential difference between two points corresponds to the pressure difference between two points. 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. This is analogous to the work done to move water in a water circuit, which is equal to the pressure drop multiplied by the volume of water moved.
The term "voltage" is commonly used to refer to electric potential difference. Voltage is related to energy, but they are not the same thing. A battery's voltage may remain the same while the energy supplied changes. Voltage is a physical scalar quantity, and a voltmeter can be used to measure the voltage between two points in a system.
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The volt is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force
The volt, with the symbol V, is the derived unit for electric potential, voltage, and electromotive force. It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827), who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.
The volt is defined as the electric potential between two points of a conducting wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those points. In other words, it is the potential difference between two points that will impart one joule of energy per coulomb of charge that passes through it. This can also be expressed as amperes times ohms (current times resistance, per Ohm's law), webers per second (magnetic flux per time), watts per ampere (power per current), or joules per coulomb (energy per charge).
The volt is used to measure the difference in electric potential between two points. This is also referred to as voltage or electric tension, and it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to move a positive test charge from one point to another. A voltmeter can be used to measure the voltage between two points in a system.
The term “voltage drop” is used to describe the voltage dropped across an electrical device, such as a resistor. The voltage drop is the difference between measurements at each terminal of the device with respect to a common reference point (or ground).
The volt is also the unit of measurement for electromotive force (EMF), which was first used by Volta in a letter to Giovanni Aldini in 1798. EMF refers to a force that is not an electrostatic force but an electrochemical force.
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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 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 invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.
The electric potential difference between points A and B, VB-VA, is defined as the change in potential energy of a charge q moved from A to B, divided by the charge. The units of potential difference are joules per coulomb, with the name volt (V) derived from Alessandro Volta. The familiar term voltage is the common name for electric potential difference.
The potential difference of a supply is a measure of the energy given to the charge carriers in a circuit. 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 voltage between points can be caused by the build-up of electric charge, such as in a capacitor, or from an electromotive force, such as electromagnetic induction in a generator.
A hydraulic analogy can help to understand this concept. In a water circuit, the work done to move water is equal to the pressure drop multiplied by the volume of water moved. Similarly, in an electrical circuit, the work done to move electrons or 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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The potential difference of a supply is a measure of the energy given to the charge carriers in a circuit
The potential difference between two points corresponds to the pressure difference between them. For example, a pump that creates a pressure difference between two points will allow water flowing from one point to the other to do work, such as driving a turbine. Similarly, the potential difference provided by a battery can "push" a current through the windings of a motor.
The electric potential is defined as electric potential energy per unit of electric charge. 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, though any point can be used. The electric potential at the reference point is defined as zero units.
The potential difference between points A and B, VB-VA, is defined as the change in potential energy of a charge q moved from A to B, divided by the charge. The units of potential difference are joules per coulomb, with 1 V equalling 1 J/C.
The relationship between voltage and energy can be seen in the acceleration of electrons. An electron accelerated through a potential difference of 1 V is given an energy of 1 eV. This relationship is also seen in ions. For example, an ion with a double positive charge accelerated through 100 V gains 200 eV of energy.
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Voltage and energy are related but are not the same thing
Voltage, also known as electrical potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. It is the force that pushes electric charges to move through a circuit. The volt (V) is the unit of voltage, and 1 V is equal to 1 joule per coulomb (J/C). Voltage is measured using a voltmeter, and it is essential for understanding how electric circuits work.
Energy, on the other hand, is the capacity to do work. In the context of electricity, electric potential energy is the energy that a charged particle has due to its position within an electric field. It is measured in joules (J) and is calculated by multiplying the charge of the particle in coulombs (C) by the potential difference in volts (V). This relationship can be expressed as U = qV, where U is the electric potential energy, q is the charge, and V is the potential difference or voltage.
While voltage and energy are related, they are not the same thing. Voltage is the force that pushes charges through a circuit, while energy is the capacity to do work. Voltage is measured in volts (V), while energy is measured in joules (J). Additionally, voltage is always measured between two points, whereas energy can be measured at a single point. For example, a battery with a certain voltage can supply different amounts of energy depending on the device it is powering. A car battery and a motorcycle battery may have the same voltage, but the car battery will supply more energy to start the larger engine. Similarly, a high voltage with a low charge and energy may not be lethal, whereas the same voltage with a higher charge and energy could be deadly.
Furthermore, the relationship between voltage and energy can be understood using the example of a soccer ball. The height of the ball represents its potential energy. If the ball is held at a greater height, it has more potential energy, and dropping it will result in a greater impact. Similarly, voltage can be thought of as the pressure in a water hose. The higher the voltage, the greater the flow of water or electric current.
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Frequently asked questions
Electrical potential difference voltage is the difference in electric potential between two points. It is commonly known as voltage and is measured in volts (V).
The unit of electrical potential difference voltage is the volt (V), named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. It is calculated as the change in potential energy of a charge (q) moved from one point to another, divided by the charge.
Voltage and energy are related but distinct concepts. Voltage is a measure of the energy given to charge carriers in a circuit. A higher voltage will give more force to the charges, increasing their speed.
