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user111_23
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I understand what voltage is in the context of electrostatics, but the definition of circuits seems foggy to me.
The common definition I see is something like "voltage is the amount of work per unit charge to be done on a charge moving from A to B". However, this is usually in the context of electrostatics, not circuits. What about the definition for circuits? Please don't give me the water analogy because I have heard it far too much.
Also, I was reading this part of an article about voltage:
"If I grab electrons away from a wire, that wire will have excess protons left behind. If I place those electrons into another wire, then my two wires have oppositely-imbalanced charge. They have a voltage between them too, and a static-electric field extends across the space between them. This field is the voltage."
Does this mean that voltage is an electric field between an imbalance of charges?
If so, why is it called a potential difference?
Here is the source (Warning: it's a very long article):
http://amasci.com/elect/vwatt1.html
The common definition I see is something like "voltage is the amount of work per unit charge to be done on a charge moving from A to B". However, this is usually in the context of electrostatics, not circuits. What about the definition for circuits? Please don't give me the water analogy because I have heard it far too much.
Also, I was reading this part of an article about voltage:
"If I grab electrons away from a wire, that wire will have excess protons left behind. If I place those electrons into another wire, then my two wires have oppositely-imbalanced charge. They have a voltage between them too, and a static-electric field extends across the space between them. This field is the voltage."
Does this mean that voltage is an electric field between an imbalance of charges?
If so, why is it called a potential difference?
Here is the source (Warning: it's a very long article):
http://amasci.com/elect/vwatt1.html
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