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Voltage . . .

The 'pressure' between two points that makes electrons 'want' to move from one of the points to the other one. More pressure is called more 'volts'. This can determine the brightness of lights and the speed of electric motors.

Current . . .

the flow of electrons between those two points, IFthere's something in the space that the electrons are able to flow through. More current is called more Amperes (or 'amps').

The amount of current depends on how strong the voltage is, AND on what the electrons are flowing through in order to get across the space. (That's called the 'resistance' between the two points. Resistance is measured in 'ohms'. More ohms means it's harder for the electrons to get across the space, and the result of that is ... less current.)

Comment:

It's also worth pointing out that current is only a flow of electrons in (mainly) metal conductors. In other conductors, such as electrolytes, a current is a flow of ions (charged atoms) rather than electrons -sometimes different types of ions flowing in opposite directions to each other at the same time. A more general definition of current, therefore, would be 'a flow of charge carriers'.

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6y ago
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12y ago

Voltage is potential to do work and current is like the means for performing the work. An example would be a vat full of water with a spigot at the bottom. The amount of water represents the voltage potential. If you open the spigot a little then the water flows, with the flow representing the current.

Now if you had a water wheel under the spigot it would start turning with some water flow, but as you opened the spigot more the wheel would turn faster, potentially doing more work.

In the electrical world the water is available electrons and the current is the flow of these electrons through a wire and an attached load.

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10y ago

Yes, there IS a difference between 'voltage' and 'potential'.

'Voltage' is a synonym for 'potential difference', not 'potential'.

A potential difference exists between two points which are at different potentials. For example, if point A has a potential of, say, +25 V with respect to earth (ground), and point B has a potential of, say, -6 V with respect to earth, then the voltage (potential difference) between points A and B is +25 - (-6) = 31 V.

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12y ago

There is no such thing as 'voltage difference' because, by definition, 'voltage' means 'potential difference'.

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14y ago

voltage is a deference in potential energy between a baseline, of say "ground" and what has been induced by some sort of a generator into a conductor.

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9y ago

There are three voltage differences. The three differences are electrical potential, electric tension and electric pressure.

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8y ago

voltage drop means the voltage difference.

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Q: Is there any difference between voltage and potential?
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What is the difference between voltage ang current?

voltage: it is the potentail difference between two wires. or it is the amount of energy used to force the electrons.current: it is the flow of free electrons.by Balaji,NITCAnswerThere is no such expression as 'potential voltage'. 'Voltage' is simply another word for 'potential difference'.


Define voltage in electrical?

Voltage (of a circuit) as defined in the NEC: n. The greatest root-mean-square(rms) (effective) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit concerned. Voltage as defined by Webster's: n. Electromotive force or potential difference, usually expressed in volts.


Does the voltage moves?

Yes, voltage is a kind of electric pressure. It is also called potential. When there is potential difference between any two points, current starts flowing from high pressure point to low pressure point. FOR EXAMPLE : When there is a difference in air pressure between two regions, air moves from region of low pressure to region of high pressure causing winds In this case air is the potential and wind is electric current


What is voltage potential betweei positive to earth?

By saying 'positive', you appear to be describing a d.c. system. In which case it depends entirely on the potential difference of the source and how it is earthed. If you are describing an a.c. system, then you presumably mean 'line', rather than 'positive', then -again- it depends on the potential difference of the source and how it is earthed -e.g. in the UK, the potential of the line, measured with respect to earth, should be close to the nominal value of 230 V.Incidentally, there is no such thing as 'voltage potential'. 'Voltage' is synonymous with 'potential difference', not'potential'. So, when you say 'voltage potential', it's the same as saying 'potential difference potential' which, I think you will agree, doesn't make any sense!


What is the difference between voltage and emf?

E.M.F: Is the potential difference between two terminals when there is no current i.e. circuit is open, therefore [EMF = OCV].OCV :open circuit voltage.Voltage: Is the potential difference between two terminals when there is current i.e. closed loopAnswerAn e.m.f. (electromotive force) is a voltage or, more accurately, a potential difference ('voltage' is simply another word for 'potential difference'). However, it is the potential difference that appears across the terminals of a supply when it is not connected to its load. When the supply is connected to a load, this potential difference falls because of an internal voltage drop across the supply's internal resistance. So the simple answer is that an electromotive force is a supply's open-circuit terminal voltage.Another definition is obtained from Kirchhoff's Voltage Law, from which we can say that an electromotive force is equal to the sum of all the all the voltage drops around the circuit, including its internal voltage drops.

Related questions

What does not provide a voltage difference in a circuit?

Wires do not provide a voltage differenceAnswerAs 'voltage' is synonymous with 'potential difference', you appear to be asking "What does not provide a potential difference difference in a circuit?", which does not make any sense!


What does not provide a voltage a difference in a circuit?

Wires do not provide a voltage differenceAnswerAs 'voltage' is synonymous with 'potential difference', you appear to be asking "What does not provide a potential difference difference in a circuit?", which does not make any sense!


What is the voltage between point p and the battery?

The voltage between point p and the battery is not able to measured exactly. You can never measure the absolute electric potential at any point. its just not possible. That is why we talk about difference in potential.


How voltmeter works?

It is connected in parallel and measures potential difference.


Why is voltage considered to be the electric potential?

Voltage is just the name. Electric potential is a synonym. These are just customary terms, without any deeper reference.AnswerNo, voltage is synonymous with 'potential difference', not potential.


What is the difference between EMF and terminal PD?

An electromotive force is the potential differenceappearing across the terminals of a battery, generator, etc., when that device is not supplying any load. When the device is supplying a load current, the electromotive force is equal to the sum of the voltage drops around the complete circuit, including any internal voltage drop.A potential difference (also known as a 'voltage'), as the name implies, is the difference in potential between two points.


What is the difference between voltage ang current?

voltage: it is the potentail difference between two wires. or it is the amount of energy used to force the electrons.current: it is the flow of free electrons.by Balaji,NITCAnswerThere is no such expression as 'potential voltage'. 'Voltage' is simply another word for 'potential difference'.


What is the difference between voltage forward voltage and voltage drop?

Voltage is the potential difference between the source & any point in the circuit. The forward voltage is the voltage drop across the diode if the voltage at the anode is more positive than the voltage at the cathode (if you connect + to the anode). Voltage drop means, amount of voltage by which voltage across load resistor is less then the source voltage.


What is the purpose of voltage difference?

'Voltage' is simply another word for 'potential difference' so, clearly, there is no such thing as a 'voltage difference' because it would mean 'potential difference difference' which doesn't make any sense! So, if your question really means, 'What is the purpose of a voltage?', then the answer is that a voltage is necessary to drive current through a circuit.


Define voltage in electrical?

Voltage (of a circuit) as defined in the NEC: n. The greatest root-mean-square(rms) (effective) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit concerned. Voltage as defined by Webster's: n. Electromotive force or potential difference, usually expressed in volts.


Clearly distinguish between electric potential energy and electric potential?

Potential difference means the difference in the potentials at two specified points. If "potential" is mentioned without any such qualifier it usually means the potential difference between a point and the "earth" or "grounded terminal". The prefix "electric" is just a reminder we are talking electrically. But the same argument applies equally to gravitational potential.


What is the difference between electrical potential and electromotive force?

electric potential is potential difference between two points in closed circuit. but electromotive force is potential difference in any open circuit.