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		<title>Voltage</title>
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		<updated>2025-11-01T06:11:35Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;2600:1700:FB0:D470:24B0:F07B:A482:3724: I gave another good example.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Short description|Difference in electric potential between two points in space}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{other uses}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Redirect|Potential difference|other uses|Potential}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{More citations needed|date=February 2018}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox physical quantity&lt;br /&gt;
|bgcolour = {default}&lt;br /&gt;
|name = Voltage&lt;br /&gt;
|image = [[File:AA AAA AAAA A23 battery comparison-1.jpg|frameless]]&lt;br /&gt;
|caption = [[Battery (electricity)|Batteries]] are sources of voltage in many [[Electrical network|electric circuits]].&lt;br /&gt;
|unit = [[volt]]&lt;br /&gt;
|symbols = {{math|&#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;}} , {{math|∆&#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;}} , {{math|&#039;&#039;U&#039;&#039;}} , {{math|∆&#039;&#039;U&#039;&#039;}}&lt;br /&gt;
|dimension = &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathsf{M} \mathsf{L}^2 \mathsf{T}^{-3} \mathsf{I}^{-1}&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
| derivations = Voltage = [[Energy]] / [[electric charge|charge]]&lt;br /&gt;
|baseunits=kg⋅m&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;⋅s&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;−3&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;⋅A&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;−1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Electromagnetism|Network}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Voltage&#039;&#039;&#039;, also known as (&#039;&#039;&#039;electrical&#039;&#039;&#039;) &#039;&#039;&#039;potential difference&#039;&#039;&#039;, &#039;&#039;&#039;electric pressure&#039;&#039;&#039;, or &#039;&#039;&#039;electric tension&#039;&#039;&#039;, is the difference in [[electric potential]] between two points.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last1=Cretì |first1=Anna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7IKWDwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA18|title=Economics of Electricity: Markets, Competition and Rules |last2=Fontini |first2=Fulvio |date=2019-05-30 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-18565-4 |pages=18 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Tregub |first=Stanislav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HCxHEAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA26|title=Theory of Energy Harmony: Mechanism of Fundamental Interactions |date=2020-08-08 |publisher=Stanislav Tregub |isbn=978-5-6044739-2-4 |pages=26 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; In a [[Electrostatics|static]] [[electric field]], it corresponds to the [[Work (electrical)|work]] needed per unit of [[Electric charge|charge]] to move a positive [[Test particle#Electrostatics|test charge]] from the first point to the second point. In the [[SI unit|International System of Units]] (SI), the [[SI derived unit|derived unit]] for voltage is the &#039;&#039;[[volt]]&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;).&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite report |author=David B. Newell, Eite Tiesinga |date=August 2019 |title=The International System of Units (SI) |url=https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf |publisher=National Institute of Standards and Technology |page=31 |access-date=2 January 2024}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last1=Holloway |first1=Michael D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jx0OEAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA1259|title=Dictionary of Industrial Terminology |last2=Holloway |first2=Emma |date=2020-12-09 |publisher=John Wiley &amp;amp; Sons |isbn=978-1-119-36410-8 |pages=1259 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last1=Aslam |first1=Dr S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Wf2EAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA17|title=Integrating Electrical Systems With Intelligent Computing |last2=Sharma |first2=Dr Pradosh Kumar |last3=Rahul |first3=Satyakam |last4=Saluja |first4=Dr Hitanshu |date=2024-01-26 |publisher=Academic Guru Publishing House |isbn=978-81-19843-91-6 |pages=17 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The voltage between points can be caused by the build-up of [[electric charge]] (e.g., a [[capacitor]]), and from an [[electromotive force]] (e.g., [[electromagnetic induction]] in a [[Electric generator|generator]]).&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Demetrius T. Paris and F. Kenneth Hurd, &#039;&#039;Basic Electromagnetic Theory&#039;&#039;, McGraw-Hill, New York 1969, {{ISBN|0-07-048470-8}}, pp. 512, 546&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;P. Hammond, &#039;&#039;Electromagnetism for Engineers&#039;&#039;, p. 135, Pergamon Press 1969 {{OCLC|854336}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; On a macroscopic scale, a potential difference can be caused by electrochemical processes (e.g., cells and batteries), the pressure-induced [[piezoelectric effect]], photovoltaic effect, and the [[thermoelectric effect]]. Since it is the difference in electric potential, it is a physical [[Scalar (physics)|scalar]] [[quantity]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Experts |first=Disha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1OMyDwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA64|title=10 in One Study Package for CBSE Physics Class 12 with 5 Model Papers |date=2017-08-29 |publisher=Disha Publications |isbn=978-93-86323-72-9 |pages=64 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A [[voltmeter]] can be used to measure the voltage between two points in a system.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=International |first=Petrogav |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZS7JDwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA328|title=Production Course for Hiring on Offshore Oil and Gas Rigs |publisher=Petrogav International |pages=328 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Often a common reference potential such as the [[ground (electricity)|ground]] of the system is used as one of the points. In this case, voltage is often mentioned at a point without completely mentioning the other measurement point. A voltage can be associated with either a source of energy or the loss, dissipation, or storage of energy.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Definition==&lt;br /&gt;
The SI unit of work per unit charge is the [[joule]] per [[coulomb]], where 1 volt = 1 joule (of work) per 1 coulomb of charge.{{cn|date=March 2024}} The old SI definition for &#039;&#039;volt&#039;&#039; used [[Electric power|power]] and [[Electric current|current]]; starting in 1990, the [[quantum Hall effect|quantum Hall]] and [[Josephson effect]] were used,&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite report |author=David B. Newell, Eite Tiesinga |date=August 2019 |title=The International System of Units (SI) |url=https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf |publisher=National Institute of Standards and Technology |page=88 |access-date=2 January 2024}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; and in 2019 [[physical constant]]s were given defined values for the definition of all SI units.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Voltage is denoted symbolically by &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\Delta V&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;, simplified &#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;, especially in [[English language|English]]-speaking countries. Internationally, the symbol &#039;&#039;U&#039;&#039; is standardized.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;IEV: [http://www.electropedia.org/iev/iev.nsf/display?openform&amp;amp;ievref=121-11-27 voltage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203221151/http://www.electropedia.org/iev/iev.nsf/display?openform&amp;amp;ievref=121-11-27 |date=2016-02-03 }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The [[electrochemical potential]] is the voltage that can be directly measured with a voltmeter.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Fischer |first=Traugott |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r8Xasw5l8wQC&amp;amp;pg=PA434|title=Materials Science for Engineering Students |date=2009-03-13 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=978-0-08-092002-3 |pages=434 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Pulfrey |first=David L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y9dYENs2SVUC&amp;amp;pg=PA93|title=Understanding Modern Transistors and Diodes |date=2010-01-28 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-48467-1 |pages=93 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The [[Galvani potential]] that exists in structures with junctions of dissimilar materials, is also work per charge but cannot be measured with a voltmeter in the external circuit (see {{Section link||Galvani potential vs. electrochemical potential}}).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Voltage is defined so that negatively charged objects are pulled towards higher voltages, while positively charged objects are pulled towards lower voltages.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Vadari |first=Mani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q85Lz70wdw8C&amp;amp;pg=PA41|title=Electric System Operations: Evolving to the Modern Grid |date=2013 |publisher=Artech House |isbn=978-1-60807-549-2 |pages=41 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Vadari |first=Subramanian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c73PDwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA47|title=Electric System Operations: Evolving to the Modern Grid, Second Edition |date=2020-01-31 |publisher=Artech House |isbn=978-1-63081-689-6 |pages=47 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Therefore, the [[conventional current]] in a wire or [[resistor]] always flows from higher voltage to lower voltage.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Historically, voltage has been referred to using terms like &amp;quot;tension&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;pressure&amp;quot;. Even today, the term &amp;quot;tension&amp;quot; is still used, for example within the phrase &amp;quot;[[High voltage|high tension]]&amp;quot; (HT) which is commonly used in the contexts of automotive electronics and systems using thermionic valves ([[vacuum tube]]s).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Electrostatics ===&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Opfindelsernes bog3 fig282.png|thumb|The electric field around the rod exerts a force on the charged pith ball, in an [[electroscope]]]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Electrostatic definition of voltage.svg|thumb|In a static field, the work is independent of the path]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Main articles|Electric potential#Electrostatics}}&lt;br /&gt;
In [[electrostatics]], the voltage increase from point &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_A&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; to some point &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_B&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; is given by the change in [[Electric potential#Electrostatics|electrostatic potential]] &amp;lt;math display=&amp;quot;inline&amp;quot;&amp;gt;V&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; from &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_A&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; to &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_B&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;. By definition,&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last=Griffiths|first=David J.|title=Introduction to Electrodynamics|publisher=Prentice Hall|year=1999|isbn=013805326X|edition=3rd|pages=}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;{{Rp|78}} this is:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:&amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\begin{align}&lt;br /&gt;
\Delta V_{AB} &amp;amp;= V(\mathbf{r}_B) - V(\mathbf{r}_A) \\&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;amp;= -\int_{\mathbf{r}_0}^{\mathbf{r}_B} \mathbf{E} \cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell} - \left(-\int_{\mathbf{r}_0}^{\mathbf{r}_A} \mathbf{E} \cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell} \right)\\&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;amp;= -\int_{\mathbf{r}_A}^{\mathbf{r}_B} \mathbf{E} \cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell}&lt;br /&gt;
\end{align} &amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
where &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{E}&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; is the intensity of the electric field.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In this case, the voltage increase from point A to point B is equal to the work done per unit charge, against the electric field, to move the charge from A to B without causing any acceleration.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:1&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;{{Rp|90-91}} Mathematically, this is expressed as the [[line integral]] of the [[electric field]] along that path. In electrostatics, this line integral is independent of the path taken.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:1&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;{{Rp|91}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Under this definition, any circuit where there are time-varying magnetic fields, such as [[Alternating current|AC circuits]], will not have a well-defined voltage between nodes in the circuit, since the electric force is not a [[conservative force]] in those cases.&amp;lt;ref group=&amp;quot;note&amp;quot; name=&amp;quot;:0&amp;quot;&amp;gt;This follows from the [[Maxwell-Faraday equation]]:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\nabla\times\mathbf{E}=-\frac{\partial\mathbf{B}}{\partial t}&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If there are changing magnetic fields in some [[Simply connected space|simply connected]] region, then the [[Curl (mathematics)|curl]] of the electric field in that region is non-zero, and as a result the electric field is not conservative. For more, see {{Section link|Conservative force|Mathematical description}}.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; However, at lower frequencies when the electric and magnetic fields are not rapidly changing, this can be neglected (see [[Electrostatics#Electrostatic approximation|electrostatic approximation]]).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Electrodynamics ===&lt;br /&gt;
{{Main articles|Electric potential#Generalization to electrodynamics}}&lt;br /&gt;
The electric potential can be generalized to electrodynamics, so that differences in electric potential between points are well-defined even in the presence of time-varying fields. However, unlike in electrostatics, the electric field can no longer be expressed only in terms of the electric potential.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:1&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;{{Rp|417}} Furthermore, the potential is no longer uniquely determined up to a constant, and can take significantly different forms depending on the choice of [[Gauge fixing|gauge]].&amp;lt;ref group=&amp;quot;note&amp;quot;&amp;gt;For example, in the [[Lorenz gauge condition|Lorenz gauge]], the electric potential is a [[retarded potential]], which propagates at the [[speed of light]]; whereas in the [[Coulomb Gauge|Coulomb gauge]], the potential changes instantaneously when the source charge distribution changes.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:1&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;{{Rp|419-422}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In this general case, some authors&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last1=Moon|first1=Parry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lijEAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA126|title=Foundations of Electrodynamics|last2=Spencer|first2=Domina Eberle|publisher=Dover Publications|year=2013|isbn=978-0-486-49703-7|pages=126|access-date=2021-11-19|archive-date=2022-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319091311/https://books.google.com/books?id=lijEAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA126|url-status=live}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; use the word &amp;quot;voltage&amp;quot; to refer to the line integral of the electric field, rather than to differences in electric potential. In this case, the voltage rise along some path &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathcal{P}&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; from &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_A&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; to &amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\mathbf{r}_B&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt; is given by:&lt;br /&gt;
:&amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\Delta V_{AB} = -\int_\mathcal{P} \mathbf{E} \cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell}&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
However, in this case the &amp;quot;voltage&amp;quot; between two points depends on the path taken.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Circuit theory ===&lt;br /&gt;
In [[Network analysis (electrical circuits)|circuit analysis]] and [[electrical engineering]], [[lumped element model]]s are used to represent and analyze circuits. These elements are idealized and self-contained circuit elements used to model physical components.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=A. Agarwal &amp;amp; J. Lang|date=2007|title=Course materials for 6.002 Circuits and Electronics|url=https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-002-circuits-and-electronics-spring-2007/video-lectures/6002_l1.pdf|access-date=4 December 2018|website=MIT OpenCourseWare|archive-date=9 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409071008/http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-002-circuits-and-electronics-spring-2007/video-lectures/6002_l1.pdf|url-status=live}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When using a lumped element model, it is assumed that the effects of changing magnetic fields produced by the circuit are suitably contained to each element.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:2&amp;quot; /&amp;gt; Under these assumptions, the electric field in the region exterior to each component is conservative, and voltages between nodes in the circuit are well-defined, where&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;:2&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:&amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\Delta V_{AB} = -\int_{\mathbf{r}_A}^{\mathbf{r}_B} \mathbf{E} \cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell} &amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
as long as the path of integration does not pass through the inside of any component. The above is the same formula used in [[electrostatics]]. This integral, with the path of integration being along the test leads, is what a voltmeter will actually measure.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite journal|last=Bossavit|first=Alain|date=January 2008|title=What do voltmeters measure?|journal=COMPEL - the International Journal for Computation and Mathematics in Electrical and Electronic Engineering|volume=27|pages=9–16|doi=10.1108/03321640810836582|via=ResearchGate}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref group=&amp;quot;note&amp;quot;&amp;gt;This statement makes a few assumptions about the nature of the voltmeter (these are discussed in the cited paper). One of these assumptions is that the current drawn by the voltmeter is negligible.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If uncontained magnetic fields throughout the circuit are not negligible, then their effects can be modelled by adding [[mutual inductance]] elements. In the case of a physical inductor though, the ideal lumped representation is often accurate. This is because the external fields of inductors are generally negligible, especially if the inductor has a closed [[Magnetic circuit|magnetic path]]. If external fields are negligible, we find that&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:&amp;lt;math&amp;gt;\Delta V_{AB} = -\int_\mathrm{exterior}\mathbf{E}\cdot \mathrm{d}\boldsymbol{\ell}=L\frac{dI}{dt}&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/math&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
is path-independent, and there is a well-defined voltage across the inductor&#039;s terminals.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last1=Feynman|first1=Richard|last2=Leighton|first2=Robert B.|last3=Sands|first3=Matthew|title=The Feynman Lectures on Physics Vol. II Ch. 22: AC Circuits|url=https://feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/II_22.html|access-date=2021-10-09|website=Caltech}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; This is the reason that measurements with a voltmeter across an inductor are often reasonably independent of the placement of the test leads.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Volt==&lt;br /&gt;
{{main|Volt}}&lt;br /&gt;
The volt (symbol: {{math|&#039;&#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;&#039;}}) is the [[SI derived unit|derived unit]] for [[electric potential]], voltage, and [[electromotive force]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last1=Hanssen |first1=Steven |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zG2dEAAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA3|title=Electrical Trade Principles 6e |last2=Hampson |first2=Jeffery |date=2022-09-12 |publisher=Cengage AU |isbn=978-0-17-045885-6 |pages=3 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book |last=Cardarelli |first=Francois |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEHtBwAAQBAJ&amp;amp;pg=PA340|title=Scientific Unit Conversion: A Practical Guide to Metrication |date=2012-12-06 |publisher=Springer Science &amp;amp; Business Media |isbn=978-1-4471-3394-0 |pages=340 |language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The volt is named in honour of the Italian physicist [[Alessandro Volta]]  (1745–1827), who invented the [[voltaic pile]], possibly the first chemical [[battery (electricity)|battery]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Hydraulic analogy==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Main|Hydraulic analogy}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A simple analogy for an [[electric circuit]] is water flowing in a closed circuit of [[pipework]], driven by a mechanical [[pump]].{{cn|date=March 2024}} This can be called a &amp;quot;water circuit&amp;quot;.  The potential difference between two points corresponds to the [[fluid pressure|pressure difference]] between two points. If the pump creates a pressure difference between two points, then water flowing from one point to the other will be able to do work, such as driving a [[turbine]]. Similarly, work can be done by an [[electric current]] driven by the potential difference provided by a [[electric battery|battery]]. For example, the voltage provided by a sufficiently-charged automobile battery can &amp;quot;push&amp;quot; a large current through the windings of an automobile&#039;s [[starter motor]]. If the pump is not working, it produces no pressure difference, and the turbine will not rotate. Likewise, if the automobile&#039;s battery is very weak or &amp;quot;dead&amp;quot; (or &amp;quot;flat&amp;quot;), then it will not turn the starter motor.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The hydraulic analogy is a useful way of understanding many electrical concepts. In such a system, the work done to move water is equal to the &amp;quot;[[pressure]] drop&amp;quot; (compare p.d.) multiplied by the [[volume]] of water moved. Similarly, in an electrical circuit, the work done to move electrons or other charge carriers is equal to &amp;quot;electrical pressure difference&amp;quot; multiplied by the quantity of electrical charges moved. In relation to &amp;quot;flow&amp;quot;, the larger the &amp;quot;pressure difference&amp;quot; between two points (potential difference or water pressure difference), the greater the flow between them (electric current or water flow). (See &amp;quot;[[Electric power#Definition|electric power]]&amp;quot;.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Applications ==&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:US Navy 110315-N-0278E-002 High-voltage electricians from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii reconfigure electrical circuitry and.jpg|thumb|upright|Working on [[high voltage|high-voltage]] power lines]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Specifying a voltage measurement requires explicit or implicit specification of the points across which the voltage is measured.  When using a voltmeter to measure voltage, one electrical lead of the voltmeter must be connected to the first point, one to the second point.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A common use of the term &amp;quot;voltage&amp;quot; is in describing the voltage dropped across an electrical device (such as a resistor). The [[voltage drop]] across the device can be understood as the difference between measurements at each terminal of the device with respect to a common reference point (or [[ground (electricity)|ground]]). The voltage drop is the difference between the two readings. Two points in an electric circuit that are connected by an ideal conductor without resistance and not within a changing [[magnetic field]] have a voltage of zero. Any two points with the same potential may be connected by a conductor and no current will flow between them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Addition of voltages===&lt;br /&gt;
The voltage between &#039;&#039;A&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;C&#039;&#039; is the sum of the voltage between &#039;&#039;A&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;B&#039;&#039; and the voltage between &#039;&#039;B&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;C&#039;&#039;. The various voltages in a circuit can be computed using [[Kirchhoff&#039;s circuit laws]].&lt;br /&gt;
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When talking about [[alternating current]] (AC) there is a difference between instantaneous voltage and average voltage. Instantaneous voltages can be added for [[direct current]] (DC) and AC, but average voltages can be meaningfully added only when they apply to signals that all have the same frequency and phase.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Measuring instruments==&lt;br /&gt;
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[[File:9VBatteryWithMeter.jpg|thumb|[[Multimeter]] set to measure voltage]]&lt;br /&gt;
Instruments for measuring voltages include the [[voltmeter]], the [[Potentiometer (measuring instrument)|potentiometer]], and the [[oscilloscope]]. [[Voltmeter|Analog voltmeter]]s, such as moving-coil instruments, work by measuring the current through a fixed resistor, which, according to [[Ohm&#039;s law]], is proportional to the voltage across the resistor. The potentiometer works by balancing the unknown voltage against a known voltage in a [[bridge circuit]]. The cathode-ray oscilloscope works by amplifying the voltage and using it to deflect an [[electron]] beam from a straight path, so that the deflection of the beam is proportional to the voltage.&lt;br /&gt;
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==Typical voltages==&lt;br /&gt;
{{main|Volt#Common voltages|Orders of magnitude (voltage)|Mains electricity#Choice of voltage}}&lt;br /&gt;
A common voltage for [[Battery (electricity)|flashlight batteries]] is 1.5&amp;amp;nbsp;volts (DC).&lt;br /&gt;
A common voltage for [[Automotive battery|automobile batteries]] is 12&amp;amp;nbsp;volts (DC).&lt;br /&gt;
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Common voltages supplied by power companies to consumers are 110 to 120 volts (AC) in North America and 220 to 240&amp;amp;nbsp;volts (AC) in most of Europe. The voltage in [[electric power transmission]] lines used to distribute electricity from power stations can be several hundred times greater than consumer voltages, typically 110 to 1200&amp;amp;nbsp;kV (AC).&lt;br /&gt;
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The voltage used in [[overhead line]]s to power railway locomotives is between 12&amp;amp;nbsp;kV and 50&amp;amp;nbsp;kV (AC) or between 0.75&amp;amp;nbsp;kV and 3&amp;amp;nbsp;kV (DC).&lt;br /&gt;
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==Galvani potential vs. electrochemical potential==&lt;br /&gt;
{{main|Galvani potential|Electrochemical potential|Fermi level}}&lt;br /&gt;
Inside a conductive material, the energy of an electron is affected not only by the average electric potential but also by the specific thermal and atomic environment that it is in.&lt;br /&gt;
When a [[voltmeter]] is connected between two different types of metal, it measures not the electrostatic potential difference, but instead something else that is affected by thermodynamics.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09QI-assq1cC&amp;amp;pg=PA22 |title=Fundamentals of electrochemistry|first= Vladimir Sergeevich|last= Bagotskii|page=22|isbn=978-0-471-70058-6|year=2006|publisher=John Wiley &amp;amp; Sons }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
The quantity measured by a voltmeter is the negative of the difference of the [[electrochemical potential]] of electrons ([[Fermi level]]) divided by the electron charge and commonly referred to as the voltage difference, while the pure unadjusted [[electrostatic potential]] (not measurable with a voltmeter) is sometimes called [[Galvani potential]].&lt;br /&gt;
The terms &amp;quot;voltage&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;electric potential&amp;quot; are ambiguous in that, in practice, they can refer to &#039;&#039;either&#039;&#039; of these in different contexts.&lt;br /&gt;
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== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
The term &#039;&#039;electromotive force&#039;&#039; was first used by Volta in a letter to [[Giovanni Aldini]] in 1798, and first appeared in a published paper in 1801 in &#039;&#039;[[Annales de chimie et de physique]]&#039;&#039;.&amp;lt;ref name=Varney/&amp;gt;{{rp|408}}  Volta meant by this a force that was not an [[electrostatic]] force, specifically, an [[electrochemical]] force.&amp;lt;ref name=Varney&amp;gt;Robert N. Varney, Leon H. Fisher, [https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1119/1.12115 &amp;quot;Electromotive force: Volta&#039;s forgotten concept&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416012226/https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1119/1.12115 |date=2021-04-16 }}, &#039;&#039;American Journal of Physics&#039;&#039;, vol. 48, iss. 5, pp. 405–408, May 1980.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;{{rp|405}}  The term was taken up by [[Michael Faraday]] in connection with [[electromagnetic induction]] in the 1820s.  However, a clear definition of voltage and method of measuring it had not been developed at this time.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;C. J. Brockman, [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed005p549?journalCode=jceda8 &amp;quot;The origin of voltaic electricity: The contact vs. chemical theory before the concept of E. M. F. was developed&amp;quot;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717034921/https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed005p549?journalCode=jceda8 |date=2022-07-17 }}, &#039;&#039;Journal of Chemical Education&#039;&#039;, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 549–555, May 1928&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;{{rp|554}} Volta distinguished electromotive force (emf) from &#039;&#039;tension&#039;&#039; (potential difference): the observed potential difference at the terminals of an electrochemical cell when it was open circuit must exactly balance the emf of the cell so that no current flowed.&amp;lt;ref name=Varney/&amp;gt;{{rp|405}}&lt;br /&gt;
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==See also==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Portal|Electronics}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{div col start}}&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Electric shock]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Mains electricity by country]] (list of countries with mains voltage and frequency)&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Open-circuit voltage]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Phantom voltage]]&lt;br /&gt;
{{div col end}}&lt;br /&gt;
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==References==&lt;br /&gt;
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== Footnotes ==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references group=&amp;quot;note&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
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==External links==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Wiktionary}}&lt;br /&gt;
* [http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-ohm.htm Electrical voltage &#039;&#039;V&#039;&#039;, current &#039;&#039;I&#039;&#039;, resistivity &#039;&#039;R&#039;&#039;, impedance &#039;&#039;Z&#039;&#039;, wattage &#039;&#039;P&#039;&#039;]&lt;br /&gt;
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{{Authority control}}&lt;br /&gt;
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[[Category:Voltage| ]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Electrical systems]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Electromagnetic quantities]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>2600:1700:FB0:D470:24B0:F07B:A482:3724</name></author>
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