The units of measurement for electric potential difference are ____.

Definition of Electric Potential:

Electric potential is a location dependent quantity which expresses the amount of potential energy per unit of charge at a specified location. Mathematically, electric potential is the quantity of electric potential energy per unit of charge. Typical units on electric potential are Joules per Coulomb (abbreviated J/C). The term voltage is sometimes used in place of the phrase electric potential. Because of the use of the term voltage, the units of electric potential is the Volt. One volt is equivalent to a J/C.

What are the units on voltage (or electric potential)?

If the electrical circuit in your IPod player were analogous to a water circuit at a water park, then the voltage (or the battery) would be comparable to _____.

Electric Potential and Charge Flow:

Electric potential is a location dependent quantity which describes the amount of electric potential energy per charge possessed by a charged object at a given location. In order for charge to flow from one location to another location, there must be a difference in electric potential between the two locations. If there is a difference in electric potential between the two locations, then charge will spontaneously move from the location of high potential to low potential.

An analogy comparing the flow of water in a water park to the flow of charge in a circuit is often used in a physics class. Both situations involve the flow of a fluid through pipes or a conduit. In the case of water flow, such flow would not be possible unless two ends of the pipe were held at different water pressure or gravitational potential. That is, the potential energy possessed per kg of water at the top of a slide must be greater than the the potential energy possessed per kg of water at the bottom of a slide. With this difference in pressure or gravitational potential established between the two locations, water naturally flows through its circuit from high potential location to low potential location. In the same manner, there must be a difference in electric pressure or electric potential energy between two ends of an external circuit in order for charge to flow through the pipes or wires. Of course to maintain such a difference in water pressure or potential at a water park, a water pump must do work upon the water to move it from the low energy to the high energy location. And in the same way, a charge pump (a.k.a. a battery) must do work upon a charge in a circuit to move it from the low energy to the high energy location.

In what sense is an electric circuit analogous to the water circuit at a water park?

Three of the following words and phrases mean the same thing. Identify them by listing their letters ... .

Electric Potential and Charge Flow:

Electric potential is a location dependent quantity which describes the amount of electric potential energy per charge possessed by a charged object at a given location. In order for charge to flow from one location to another location, there must be a difference in electric potential between the two locations. If there is a difference in electric potential between the two locations, then charge will spontaneously move from the location of high potential to low potential.

Charge will not flow through a circuit unless there is a difference in electric potential between two ends of the external circuit. The positive and the negative terminal of the circuit must have a difference in electric potential between them. This difference is established by a battery which does work upon a charge to move it from low energy to high energy. For instance, a 9-Volt battery would contribute 9 Joules of energy per 1 Coulomb of charge to move it from a low electric potential to a high electric potential. The 9 Volt battery produces 9 Volts of electric potential difference between the two ends of the circuit. When at the high energy terminal, a charge could be said to be at high electric pressure. Like water pressure in a water circuit, a charge at high electric pressure will be induced to move to points of low pressure. In this sense, voltage is synonymous to electric potential difference or electric pressure.

What is voltage (or electric potential)?

What are some synonymous words and phrases for voltage?

Which one of the following occurs when a rechargeable battery is recharged?

The Role of a Battery:

The role of a battery (or cell) in an electric circuit is to supply energy to the circuit by doing work upon the charge to move it from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal. By moving charge to high energy, the battery (or cell) is establishing a difference in electric potential across the two ends of the external circuit. With this difference in electric potential established, charge will spontaneously flow through the external circuit.

Some students of physics have the incorrect conception that a battery's role is to supply the charge which moves through a circuit. Their thought is that when a battery no longer works, it is out of charge. After all, some batteries can be recharged and work again. But don't be fooled! Batteries do not supply charge to a circuit. And the use of the phrases rechargeable and recharged are unfortunate misnomers. A battery is actually being re-energized rather than recharged. It's energy-producing ability are being restored by the reversing of the chemical reaction which occurs inside. See Think About It section below.

The battery's role in a circuit is all about doing work and providing energy. It supplies this energy by means of an electrochemical reaction which establishes an electric potential difference between the two terminals of the battery. The chemical reaction involves reactants and products. The reactants become used up over the course of time and the products get in the way if they remain bound inside the battery (or cell). Certain battery types are said to be rechargeable. That is, the reaction which typically runs to produce products can be reversed. Reversing the reaction requires an external energy source to cause the reaction to run in the reverse direction. By reversing the reaction, products can be reformulated into reactants and the ability of the cell to produce energy is restored.

When a battery no longer works, what is wrong with it?

What happens when rechargeable batteries are recharged?

When the battery in your flashlight no longer works, it is because the battery has run out of _____.

The Role of a Battery:

The role of a battery (or cell) in an electric circuit is to supply energy to the circuit by doing work upon the charge to move it from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal. By moving charge to high energy, the battery (or cell) is establishing a difference in electric potential across the two ends of the external circuit. With this difference in electric potential established, charge will spontaneously flow through the external circuit.

Some students of physics have the incorrect conception that a battery's role is to supply the charge which moves through a circuit. Their thought is that when a battery no longer works, it is out of charge. After all, the battery must be recharged to work again. But don't be fooled! Batteries do not supply charge to a circuit. And the use of the phrases rechargeable and recharged are unfortunate misnomers. A battery is actually being re-energized rather than recharged. It's energy-producing ability are being restored by the reversing of the chemical reaction which occurs inside. See Think About It section below.

The battery's role in a circuit is all about doing work and providing energy. It supplies this energy by means of an electrochemical reaction which establishes an electric potential difference between the two terminals of the battery. The chemical reaction involves reactants and products. The reactants become used up over the course of time and the products get in the way if they remain bound inside the battery (or cell). Certain battery types are said to be rechargeable. That is, the reaction which typically runs to produce products can be reversed. Reversing the reaction requires an external energy source to cause the reaction to run in the reverse direction. By reversing the reaction, products can be reformulated into reactants and the ability of the cell to produce energy is restored.

When a battery no longer works, what is wrong with it?

What happens when rechargeable batteries are recharged?

The role of the battery in an electrical circuit is to ____. List all that apply ... .

The Role of a Battery:

The role of a battery (or cell) in an electric circuit is to supply energy to the circuit by doing work upon the charge to move it from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal. By moving charge to high energy, the battery (or cell) is establishing a difference in electric potential across the two ends of the external circuit. With this difference in electric potential established, charge will spontaneously flow through the external circuit.

In a sense, circuits are all about energy. Energy is introduced into the circuit by the battery. The battery acts as a charge pump in a circuit, serving the same role as a water pump in a water circuit. The battery moves the charge from low energy to high energy much like a water pump moves water from low energy to high energy. Both processes require the input of energy to the system. If the battery is the energy input location of a circuit, then the energy output is the motor or the light bulb or the sound amplifier or the ... . In this sense, circuits are all about energy and the battery is the pump that makes it all possible.

Some students of physics have the incorrect conception that a battery's role is to supply the electrons or the protons which move through a circuit. Their thought is that when a battery no longer works, it is out of protons or electrons. After all, the battery must be recharged to work again. But don't be fooled! Batteries do not supply charge to a circuit. And the use of the phrases rechargeable and recharged are unfortunate misnomers. A battery is actually being re-energized rather than recharged. It's energy-producing ability are being restored by the reversing of the chemical reaction which occurs inside. See Think About It section above.

What is the role of a battery in an electric circuit?

Which one of the following is true about the electrical circuit in your flashlight?

The Role of a Battery:

The role of a battery (or cell) in an electric circuit is to supply energy to the circuit by doing work upon the charge to move it from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal. By moving charge to high energy, the battery (or cell) is establishing a difference in electric potential across the two ends of the external circuit. With this difference in electric potential established, charge will spontaneously flow through the external circuit.

In a sense, circuits are all about energy. Energy is introduced into the circuit by the battery. The battery acts as a charge pump in a circuit, serving the same role as a water pump in a water circuit. The battery moves the charge from low energy to high energy much like a water pump moves water from low energy to high energy. Both processes require the input of energy to the system. If the battery is the energy input location of a circuit, then the energy output is the motor or the light bulb or the sound amplifier or the ... . In this sense, circuits are all about energy and the battery is the pump that makes it all possible.

Some students falsely believe that a battery supplies the electrons or the protons to an electric circuit. Such students have the false notion that there would be no charge to flow through the circuit if it weren't for the battery. And when the circuit is no longer functional, it is because the battery is out of charge. After all, the battery must be recharged to work again. But don't be fooled! Batteries do not supply charge to a circuit. The charge is already present in the wires of the circuits. Wires consist of atoms and atoms consist of electrons. The use of the phrases rechargeable and recharged are unfortunate misnomers. A battery is actually being re-energized rather than recharged. It's energy-producing ability are being restored by the reversing of the chemical reaction which occurs inside. See Think About It section above.

What is the role of a battery in an electric circuit?

What is the speed at which charge moves through the wires of circuits?

When the light bulb in your lamp no longer works, it is because the bulb has _____.

Requirements for an Electric Circuit:

In order to establish an electric circuit through which charge flows, it is necessary to meet the following two requirements:

• There must be a closed conducting path which extends from the positive terminal to the negative terminal.
• There must be a source of energy capable of doing work upon an electric charge to move the charge from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal.

Two requirements must be met in order for an electric circuit to be established. There must be an energy supply which maintains an electric potential difference across the two ends of the electric circuit. And there must be a closed conducting loop that connects the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the energy source. When a light bulb has burned out, the requirement of a closed conducting loop is no longer met. You can often look inside the bulb and view the coiled filament dangling from one of the vertical posts. If it is not dangling from the vertical posts, you will notice that there is no connection from one of the posts to the other posts. If you shake the bulb, you can often hear the coiled filament moving around in the bottom of the bulb. The burning or loss of the filament between the two vertical posts opens up the circuit at that location. There is no longer a means by which charge can flow in a circuit between the two terminals of the battery.

What happens when a light bulb no longer works?

Approximately how many electrons does an electrical power company deliver to a typical American home in a given day?

Requirements for an Electric Circuit:

In order to establish an electric circuit through which charge flows, it is necessary to meet the following two requirements:

• There must be a closed conducting path which extends from the positive terminal to the negative terminal.
• There must be a source of energy capable of doing work upon an electric charge to move the charge from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal.

For a circuit to be established within your home, the two requirements mentioned in the Physics Rules section above must be met. The source of energy in household circuits is not a battery - it is the public utility company (also known as the electric power company). In U.S. homes, a power company establishes a 110-120 Volt electric potential difference between the two terminals of your household circuit. The power company supplies the energy to maintain this electric potential difference so that all the appliances, bulbs, etc. within the home are operational. As for the electrons, they come with the house. The outlets, light receptacle boxes, and appliances are connected by conducting wires. The electrons are in the atoms of those wires. When there is an electric potential difference impressed across those wires, the electrons move.

What is the role of a battery in an electric circuit?

A battery is needed in the circuit of your flashlight so that ____.

Electric Potential and Charge Flow:

Electric potential is a location dependent quantity which describes the amount of electric potential energy per charge possessed by a charged object at a given location. In order for charge to flow from one location to another location, there must be a difference in electric potential between the two locations. If there is a difference in electric potential between the two locations, then charge will spontaneously move from the location of high potential to low potential.

The Role of a Battery:

The role of a battery (or cell) in an electric circuit is to supply energy to the circuit by doing work upon the charge to move it from the low energy terminal to the high energy terminal. By moving charge to high energy, the battery (or cell) is establishing a difference in electric potential across the two ends of the external circuit. With this difference in electric potential established, charge will spontaneously flow through the external circuit.

In a sense, circuits are all about energy. Energy is introduced into the circuit by the battery. The battery acts as a charge pump in a circuit, moving charge between terminals so as to supply an electric potential difference across the two ends of a circuit. It serves an analogous role as the water pump in a water circuit. The battery moves the charge from low energy to high energy much like a water pump moves water from low energy to high energy. Both processes require the input of energy to the system. If the battery is the energy input location of a circuit, then the energy output is the light bulb. In this sense, circuits are all about energy - energy in at the battery and energy out at the light bulb.

What is the role of a battery in an electric circuit?