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Before diving into the Potential difference between any two points, it’s important to understand electric potential energy. We need to understand the reference to one of the most famous concept of physics: Gravitational Potential Energy. Electric Potential refers to quantifying an electric particle’s potential energy resulting from its location in an electric field. This is quite similar to the case where the objects with potential energy and mass react within the Earth’s gravitational field depending on their location. In simple terms, the objects possessing mass experience the gravitational pull within the Earth’s gravitational field.
Understanding Electric Potential
When the object is held above the ground, gravity pulls it down; it has gravitational potential energy, converted into kinetic energy when dropped down.
So, does this mean that the potential energy only depends on the location?
No, here, the potential energy depends on the mass of an object as well!
For instance, an aircraft flying 31000 feet above the ground possesses more gravitational potential than the air molecules present at the same location above the Earth. Despite their same location, what makes their potential energy different? It is the difference in their mass. Therefore we can define their respective location as the energy needed per unit mass to achieve the location.
Electric potential can be defined as the quantity of energy needed by a charged particle to reach a location in an electric field.
Definition Of Electric Potential
Electric potential is the amount of work necessary to move a unit of positive charge from a reference point in an electric field to another. It is measured in volts and depends on both the strength of the electric field and the charge of the particle. Two specific properties define electric potential: its location (point A or B) and its magnitude (V volts). For a charged particle to move from point A to point B, work = Potential difference x charge = V x q.
What Is The Si Unit Of Potential?
The SI Unit of electric potential is:
V = W/q = Joules/ coulomb = Volts
Therefore, the SI unit for Electric Potential is Volts or Voltage.
1 Volt = 1 Joule/ 1 coulomb
1 Volt can be defined as 1 joule of work done to move 1 coulomb of charge
The formula for Electric Potential can be shown as follows:
Electric Potential/ Voltage = Work Done / Unit Charge
Understanding Electric Potential Difference
Imagine a stone sitting at a height. Does it possess any energy? Yes, the stone has potential energy. When we drop that stone from Point X to Point Y, the stone will fall from a higher gravitational potential to the lower one. Therefore, there is a difference between the energies. We can say that the Electric potential difference is analogical to the above concept.
A charge with a lower potential will always possess lower potential energy, while a higher potential will possess more potential energy. Electrical energy is the energy possessed by electrical charges. The current flow is always from a high potential to the lower one. The difference in these energies is termed Electric potential difference.
The formula for Electric potential difference is given as the following:
What Is The SI Unit Of Potential Difference?
The SI Unit of potential difference is Voltage or Volts, the same as the SI unit of electric potential.
Voltage
Voltage (symbol: V) is the Electric potential difference between two points in an electric field. It is measured in volts. Therefore, the SI unit of voltage is volt. A voltage source such as a battery or generator creates an electromotive force (emf), which drives an electric current through an electrical load. Sometimes, U or E for electromotive force is also used. Any potential difference is shown in V.
Volts = W (Joules) / Q (Coulombs)
Potential Difference Between Two Points
The potential difference between two points is the change in the potential energy of a charge when it moves from one location to another.
If there is a potential difference between two points, say A and B, then the change in energy (potential energy) = the difference between two points, i.e., points A and B.
Hence,
The potential difference between Point A and B is equal to work done divided by the charge.
ΔV = −W/q
Conclusion
Electric potential difference (abbreviated to “voltage” or “potential”) is the electric potential energy per unit charge at a specific point in space. It is measured in volts. Electric current is the flow of charges, and voltage causes current flow. Voltage is measured in volts, named after Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist who invented the battery. Voltage exists between two points on a circuit. The higher the voltage, the more energy it takes to move a unit of charge from one point to another.
