Potential difference is a quantity in physics related to the amount of energy that would be required to move an object from one place to another against various types of force. The term is most frequently used as an abbreviation of 'electrical potential difference' (see below), which is almost synonymous with 'voltage', but it also occurs in many other branches of physics. Since antiquity, people have tried to understand the behavior of matter: why unsupported flowers drop to the ground, why different materials have different properties, and so forth. ... In physics, a force is an external cause responsible for any change of a physical system. ...

Explanation

Potential difference is the difference in some quantity between two points in a conservative vector field of that quantity. Some examples are listed below. In physics, a conservation law states that a particular measurable property of an isolated physical system does not change as the system evolves. ... Vector field given by vectors of the form (-y, x) In mathematics a vector field is a construction in vector calculus which associates a vector to every point in a Euclidean space. ...

• In mechanics, the gravitational potential difference between two points on Earth is related to the energy that would be required to move a unit mass from one point to the other against the Earth's gravitational field. Unit: joules per kilogram.
• In electrical engineering, the electrical potential difference ('voltage') between two points is the energy that would be required to move a unit of electrical charge from one point to the other against the electrostatic field that is present. Unit: joules per coulomb = volts.
• In fluid systems the potential difference is the difference in pressure. Unit: pascals.
• In thermal systems the potential difference is the difference in temperature. Unit: kelvins.

In engineering, potential is sometimes described as the across variable, whereas flux is the through variable. The product of the flux and the potential difference is the power, which is the time rate of change of energy. Power is energy emitted in a fixed length of time divided by the length of the time interval. Mechanics refers to: a craft relating to machinery (from the Latin mechanicus, from the Greek mechanikos, meaning one skilled in machines), or a range of disciplines in science and engineering. ... In physics, gravitational potential is the measure of potential energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field. ... Mass is a property of physical objects that, roughly speaking, measures the amount of matter they contain. ... The gravitational field is a field that causes bodies with mass to attract each other. ... The joule (symbol: J) is the SI unit of energy, or work. ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. ... Electric charge is a fundamental property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interactions. ... In physics, an electric field or E-field is an effect produced by an electric charge that exerts a force on charged objects in its vicinity. ... The coulomb (symbol: C) is the SI unit of electric charge. ... The volt (symbol: V) is the SI derived unit of electric potential difference. ... Pressure (symbol: p) is the force per unit area acting on a surface in a direction perpendicular to that surface. ... The pascal (symbol Pa) is the SI unit of pressure. ... Temperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of hot and cold; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. ... The kelvin (symbol: K) is the SI unit of temperature, and is one of the seven SI base units. ... Across variable is information which must be measured relative to itself in another location. ... In the various subfields of physics, there exist two common usages of the term flux, both with rigorous mathematical frameworks. ... // Mechanical power In physics, power (symbol: P) is the amount of work W done per unit of time t. ...

See also

• Extra high tension (EHT)
• Mains electricity (an article about domestic power supply voltages)
• List of countries with mains power plugs, voltages and frequencies
• High-voltage hazards
• SI electromagnetism units
• Volt

Extra high tension (EHT) refers to an electric potential difference as great as 25,000 volts. ... Type F Mains power plug & socket The term mains usually refers to the general purpose AC electrical power supply (as in Ive connected the appliance to the mains). The term is not usually used in the US and Canada, where it is known as household, or domestic power. ... This is a list of countries and territories, with the plugs, voltages and frequencies they use for providing electrical power to small appliances and some major appliances. ... In electrical engineering High voltage refers to a voltage which is high. ... Categories: Electromagnetism ... The volt (symbol: V) is the SI derived unit of electric potential difference. ...

External links

• Potential vs. Potential difference