Power and voltage are the same thing?

In summary, power is the product of voltage and current. If you don't understand these terms, you won't be able to understand power and voltage.
  • #1
lastfsdfsd23
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I am a student of Electrical . but I am not clear about power and voltage. Is any rapport between them ? I read about this two things . but i can't solve it. Is anyone tell me easily about this topic?
 
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  • #2
Power is voltage times current. P=V*I.
 
  • #3
it's a law
 
  • #4
lastfsdfsd23 said:
it's a law
Yes. Before going for electrical power, you should understand the terms voltage and current.
Voltage is the difference in electric potentials of two points in a circuit which drives a current through the circuit. Power is the product of voltage and current.
 
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  • #5
yeah. that's it. i understand.
 
  • #6
cnh1995 said:
Yes. Before going for electrical power, you should understand the terms voltage and current.
Voltage is the difference in electric potentials of two points in a circuit which drives a current through the circuit. Power is the product of voltage and current.
thanks for your time.
 
  • #7
@lastfsdfsd23

It's just like mechanics. Go back to freshman physics..
Force tries to move something, but no work is done until that something moves.
Work done is Force X Distance moved.
Power is work done per unit time, ie Force X distance/time = Force X Velocity .

Volts try to move electric charge. No charge moved = no work done.
Work done is Volts X amount of charge moved .
Power is work done per unit time, ie Volts X amount of charge moved per unit time = Volts X Amps.

That should get you started.
 
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  • #8
I remember this one quite easy to remember explanation of the voltage, current and power:

Imagine a waterfall a tall waterfall. The height of the waterfall is the voltage in electrical system called potential difference. Higher the waterfall faster the water will fall down so to speak. Then the amount of water which passes the waterfall is the current. And the "work" let's call it power is in the actual falling of the water on that waterfall.
 
  • #9
Tero said:
And the "work" let's call it power is in the actual falling of the water on that waterfall.
The work shows up as warming of the water, erosion of the rocks, noise, and any other energy pathway you can think of.
A BTU being 550 er i mean 778 foot-pounds , and Niagara Falls being 167 feet high
you should find the water flowing away at bottom of Niagara warmer than upstream by about 167/778 = 0.21 degreesF .

Do not confuse gravity with coulomb force on charges in a field.
Else you'll think 'electricity' is attracted to 'ground'
which is a widely believed mistake.
 
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  • #10
[QUOTE="j
Do not confuse gravity with coulomb force on charges in a field.
Else you'll think 'electricity' is attracted to 'ground'
which is a widely believed mistake.[/QUOTE]

i thought ground was at zero potential n acts like sink for currents in case of Earth faults...like current would flow into the ground...
 
  • #11
jaus tail said:
i thought ground was at zero potential n acts like sink for currents in case of Earth faults...like current would flow into the ground...

That's a common misconception.

Ground only completes the circuit back to the source.
It's not at all a "sink" like Earth is for rain .
"Ground" is best thought of as just another wire that goes most everywhere.. If your source is not connected to "ground" no current will flow into a "ground fault" .Most systems that we encounter are connected solidly to "ground" so that a ground fault will trip the overcurrent device thereby announcing its presence.

There exist in industrial settings systems that are "grounded" by a high resistance so that a "ground fault" will cause only small current to flow. Limiting fault current does two things for you:
1. Limits energy input to the fault. You don't want a high current arc inside an expensive machine. It's easier to repair the damage from a small arc of just a few amps than than that from a multi-kiloamp explosion.
2. Allows a machine to keep running until you can start a backup or arrange to shut it down without upsetting the rest of your plant.

I recommend you read "IEEE Green Book" . It will firmly implant the basics of "grounding" .
 

1. What is the difference between power and voltage?

Power and voltage are two different terms used to measure electricity. Power refers to the rate at which energy is used, while voltage is the measure of the force that pushes electricity through a circuit. In simple terms, power is the amount of energy consumed, while voltage is the pressure that drives the flow of electricity.

2. Can power and voltage be used interchangeably?

No, power and voltage cannot be used interchangeably. They are two distinct measurements that describe different aspects of electricity. While voltage determines the strength of the electrical current, power measures the amount of energy that is used.

3. How are power and voltage related to each other?

Power and voltage are related through the formula P = VI, where P represents power, V represents voltage, and I represents current. This formula shows that power is directly proportional to voltage, meaning that an increase in voltage results in an increase in power. However, the relationship between power and voltage is not linear, as power also depends on the current flowing through the circuit.

4. Is higher voltage always better?

No, higher voltage is not always better. While higher voltage can result in higher power and allow for the transmission of electricity over longer distances, it also carries a higher risk of electrical shock and damage to electronic devices. The appropriate voltage to use depends on the specific application and electrical system.

5. How does the understanding of power and voltage affect daily life?

The understanding of power and voltage is crucial in daily life as it allows us to safely and efficiently use electricity. It helps us to determine the right amount of power needed for different devices, and how to properly handle and distribute electricity. It also enables us to make informed decisions about energy consumption and helps to prevent electrical accidents.

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