Electricity is the movement of electric charges, and it is responsible for the generation of electric current in the world. With the rapid development of technology, electricity has become increasingly crucial to human beings; from a small room fan to massive industrial machinery, everything is powered by electricity these days. Electric Potential is a term that is frequently used to describe electricity. A Potential difference is required to cause the movement of electrons.
Electric Potential
It is the work done per unit charge in order to get that charge from infinity to a point in the electrostatic field against the field force. Voltage is another term used to describe electric potential (or potential energy). The SI unit for Electric Potential or Electric Potential difference is Voltage or Volts.
Imagine a +Q charge. An electric field is created by this +Q charge, and we have to move a unit charge (+q) from infinity (somewhere outside the electric field) to a location inside the electric field against the field. Since the electrostatic force created by the electric field will be against the unit charge, some work is required by the unit charge in order to move it. Either from infinity to somewhere in the field, or from one point to another in the field.
If the work is done to shift the charge from infinity to point X, it will be called Electric potential at X (Vx). If the work is done to shift the charge from infinity to point Y, It will be called Electric potential at Y (Vy). If the work is done to shift the charge from X to Y, it will be called as the potential difference between x and y (Vxy).
Electric Potential = Work DoneUnit charge
The International System of Units (SI) for Electric Potential is:
V =Wq= Joules/ coulomb = Volts
Electric Potential Difference
Consider the following scenario: a ball is suspended at a certain height. Will the ball have any energy? When the ball is dropped from a point A to B height, it will always fall from a higher gravitational potential to a lower gravitational potential, and there will be a difference in the energies of the ball and the ball will fall. The electrical potential difference is almost similar to this concept.
Electrical energy is the amount of energy that electric charges contain. When a charge has a higher potential, it will have more potential energy, and when it has a lower potential, it will have less potential energy. The difference(per unit difference) is called the electric potential difference.
In order to create electricity and the passage of current, a potential difference is constantly necessary which is maintained by a battery or a cell.
Typically, the longer side of a cell symbol represents more potential (+ve terminal), whereas the shorter side represents lower potential (- terminal).
The Electric PD is measured by using a device called Voltmeter. A voltmeter is used in parallel to the Instrument, then we would be able to record Voltage across that instrument.
So, the definition of Electric potential difference would be that It is the work done per unit charge to shift a unit charge from one point to another in an electric field. Electric potential difference is commonly referred to as a Voltage difference.
Formula
Vxy= Vx – Vy = [Wx – Wy]/q
The SI Unit of Electrical potential difference is the same as the electric potential, i.e; Voltage or Volts.
How to do Measurements in Circuits?
In an ammeter, the amount of current that flows through the device is measured. In order to measure current, ammeters must be connected in series (inside the same loop of the circuit) with the electrical component whose current is being measured. Component X is an example of this.
Voltmeters detect the potential difference (voltage) between two locations in a circuit. Using the example above, the distance between two places on either side of component X would be To accurately measure two points at the same time, two voltmeters must be linked in parallel (on a distinct branch of the circuit).
In what way is the distinction between the current and potential differences distinguished?
Flows of charge are represented by the term “current.” An electronic component is used to measure current flow. Potential difference is the energy consumed between two points in a circuit, so it is measured between two points on either side of a component. This is the potential difference.
Conclusion
When a unit charge is moved from one place to another in an electric field, the electrical potential difference is defined as the amount of work required to transport the charge. With another way of saying it, the potential difference can be defined as the difference in electric potential between the two charged bodies. When a body is charged to a different electric potential than another charged body, the difference in electric potential between the two bodies is referred to as the potential difference.