Potential difference Flashcards
What is potential difference?
- Potential difference is the difference in energy between two points in a cirucit.
points refers to coulomb of charge
What is meant by something having a potential difference of 6V?
- This means 6J of electrical energy is transferred for each coulomb of charge that passes through.
What energy transfers occur in an electrical circuit with a lamp?
- Battery has chemical energy
- Electrons have electrical energy
- Lamp has thermal energy
What 3 types of voltmeters are there?
- Analog
- Digital
- Multimeter
How should a voltmeter be connected to measure potential difference?
- In parallel with the component.
How does potential difference change in a series circuit?
- Spread amongst components
- Not always equally!!
How does potential difference change in a parallel circuit?
- Each branch has same potential difference.
- The components on branch split potential difference.
What is meant by a battery having a potential difference of 9V?
- This means that 9J of electrical energy is transferred to the component for each coulomb of charge that passes through.
What is the equation for calculating potential difference?
Potential difference = Energy transferred/ Charge flow
What is another way of writing the equation for potential difference?
Energy transferred/ Current x Time
*From V=EQ
How does a coulomb of charge having more energy affect the current?
- The electrons (coulomb) are moving faster, so current increases.
How does the potential difference drive current?
- Each coulomb of charge has energy that drives the charge to move.
The potential difference is the force that moves charge
If you increase voltage of circuit, what happens to resistance?
- Resistance increases (if current is constant)
What is a “potential divider circuit?”
- When P.D is split between 2 or more components.
Q.)
What happens to P.D if I increase ressistance of a bulb in a parallel circuit?
- Nothing
- Doesn’t change in parallel circuits
