Help understanding the Voltage in a circuit.

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Voltage in a circuit is defined as the difference in electric potential between two points, measured in volts. When a battery has a voltage of 4 volts, it indicates that electrons at the negative pole have potential energy proportional to their charge. As electrons move through the circuit to the positive pole, their potential energy is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or light. It's normal for beginners to feel uncertain about these concepts, as the nature of electrons is complex and not directly observable. Understanding voltage and potential energy is foundational for grasping electricity and circuit behavior.
GuidedByEmojis
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What is voltage in a circuit? We just started learning about electricity in my school. From what I understand; potential is potential energy per Coulomb and voltage means difference in potential. So, if you have a battery with 4 voltage and a wire connecting the poles of the battery, does that mean electrons at the negative pole will have a potential energy of 4∗q, where q is the charge of the electron? And when the electrons have reached the positive pole, all the potential energy will have been transformed?

I have a feeling I'm not understanding this concept.
 
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Hello guided one, welcome to PF :smile: !

For someone who is just being introduced to the subject, you are doing just fine ! And you choose your formulations carefully and -- as far as I can tell -- completely correct.

And a feeling of not completely understanding isn't all that bad. Nobody knows what an electron is, and no one has ever seen one :rolleyes: but we can describe the behaviour of electrons to an impressive degree of accuracy.
 
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