SI unit of Potential Difference | What is the SI unit of Potential Difference
- Volt
Current electricity is one of the important branch in electrostatic. We know that every charge has the specific region in which it can exerts the force of attraction or force of repulsion on any other charge in its vicinity. Charges get displaced when there is some difference in electrostatic potential energy.
In case of current electricity, a charge needs to travel from one end to another through the conductor. For this purpose, some difference of energy should be there. This difference can be maintained by cell/battery. So cell/battery can be called as source of potential difference.
Potential difference is then defined as, amount of work done to bring a unit positive charge from one end of conductor to another end. As it is always maintained across the ends of conductor hence termed as potential difference.
V = W/q
According to formula, SI unit of potential difference can be joule per coulomb.
Sir Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist and chemist has successfully made a first battery using the chemical properties of material. Later on using the same principal, batteries of different types and capacities are invented.
In the honour of Sir Alessandro Volta, international system of units (SI) has renamed the unit of potential difference as ‘volt’
Then,
V = W/q
From the formula, SI unit of potential difference should be,
I = joule/coulomb
joule/coulomb is then renamed as volt
SI unit of potential difference is then taken as ‘volt’. Its symbol is ‘V’
(1 joule)/(1 coulomb)=1 volt
i.e. when one joule of work is done by 1 coulomb of charges, potential difference across the terminals of conductor is 1 volt.
Like electric current potential difference is also measured in small amount with prefixes are used,
1 mV= 10-3 V
1 µV = 10-6 V
1 nV = 10-9 V
Important Faq
Q.1) What is range of potential difference required for household devices?
Answer: In general electricity board provides the fluctuating potential difference of range from 230 volt to 240 volt. In industrial section potential difference can be from 440 volt to some thousands of volts.
Q.2) What is the difference between potential difference and emf?
Answer: Potential difference is the energy spent by cell to circulate the charge in two terminals of given component, whereas an emf is the total energy spent by cell to circulate the charge through the complete circuit.
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