A potential in classical electromagnetism is a scalar field that describes the interaction between electric charges and magnetic fields. It can be thought of as the energy per unit charge at any given point in space.
Electric potentials are produced by electric charges and can be measured at any point in space, while magnetic potentials are produced by changing electric fields and can only be measured along a line or loop.
The electric field is the negative gradient of the electric potential, while the magnetic field is the curl of the magnetic potential. In other words, the change in potential over distance determines the strength and direction of the fields.
The potential helps us understand and predict the behavior of electric and magnetic fields, and is essential in solving many problems in electromagnetism, such as calculating the force between two electric charges or the energy stored in a capacitor.
Yes, potentials can also be used to describe gravitational fields, as well as quantum mechanical and fluid dynamics fields. In these contexts, the potential represents the potential energy per unit mass or unit volume at a given point in space.