Electrical Potential Difference

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Introduction

We have already seen how electrical potential energy exists between charges in electric fields however a more generalized view of this phenomena is captured in understanding Voltage.

Voltage

The electric potential difference, or Voltage, is the work done per unit charge as a charge is moved be- tween two points in an electric field. Thus it is simply electrical potential normalized with respect to the charge.


\begin{eqnarray}
V = \frac{P.E.   or   Work}{q} \nonumber
\end{eqnarray} \nonumber

The standard units of voltage is the volt. Where one volt is equal to one Joule per Coulomb.