What is voltage? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:22:21 pm
content: Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what itis.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:33:54 pm
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on November 23, 2016, 07:22:21 pmThe question is too broad. What is gravity? What is anything?

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:34:12 pm
content: The voltage difference between two points is a measure of the net work required to move a unit charge from one point to the other.If you want a definition of the "absolute" voltage at a point, rather than just the difference between two points, then it's the work done moving a unit charge from infinity to that point.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:36:29 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on November 23, 2016, 07:33:54 pmWe can't explain what gravity is because we don't have a quantum theory of gravity, but we do have a complete theory of electromagnetism.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:37:41 pm
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on November 23, 2016, 07:36:29 pmWell, the explanation above is commonly accepted as technically correct. Do you want some other explanation?

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:41:36 pm
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on November 23, 2016, 07:22:21 pmRe: What is voltage?Mr Positive and Mr Negative, hate each other. So they have come to anAmmoniacalagreement, that the larger the voltage level is, the more they will push the current around the circuit.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:42:44 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on November 23, 2016, 07:34:12 pmA perfectly adequate definition, but not an explanation. If you have two pieces of metal, one at +12V relative to the other, what's physically different about the two pieces of metal?

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:45:47 pm
content: Physically, one contains a slightly different proportion of positively charged particles to negatively charged particles. The ratio of protons to electrons is different.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:49:53 pm
content: I like the circular definition humoursly mentioned inLearning the Art of Electronics:"A Volt is what pushes an Amp through an Ohm"

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:56:01 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on November 23, 2016, 07:45:47 pmThat happened quicker than I thought. Thanks.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 08:14:29 pm
content: No problem. Next time I'm in Norway I'll claim that beer

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 08:16:11 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on November 23, 2016, 08:14:29 pmHah, sure. They are expensive here though so we might have to split it

author: tatus1969
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2016, 06:27:15 am
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on November 23, 2016, 07:56:01 pmI would not give the beer before I had an explanation of what these particles are. I know someone will say electrons then, but what are electrons?

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2016, 06:31:33 am
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on November 23, 2016, 07:22:21 pmI have a beer, you don't, you're dying to drink my beer, hence you're getting crankier .. same as electrical conductive material at two different positions .. the electron is the beer.