Electrical Potential Difference ()
The measure of the energy that a Coulomb gains as it moves through the cell. V (voltage) is in volts (V) E (energy used or gained) is in Joules Q (amount of charge) is in Coulombs
It is called a difference because it measures the difference in electrical potential energy for every unit of charge between the positive and negative terminals of a cell. Similarly, as charges pass through a load in the circuit, they transfer energy to the load so they have a greater electrical potential before the pass through the load than after.
Voltmeter
Used to measure electric potential difference in circuits. It must be placed across two points in the circuit and it will measure the volage drop across that portion of the circuit
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
In any complete path in an electric circuit, the total electric potential increase at the
source(s) is equal to the total electric potential decrease throughout the rest of the circuit.
