- #1
funmi
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- TL;DR Summary
- explain voltage between two points on an empty wire and also across a single resistor
In a closed circuit the battery sets up a potential difference which causes charge to flow. I understand potential difference as the
measure of electric potential energy per unit charge, the amount of energy required to move a charge from one point to another per charge.
for example when a charge is between two oppositely charged plates the potential difference is multiplied by the charge and this is the amount of potential energy that will be converted to kinetic energy by the time a charge reaches its destination. My first question was that shouldn't a charge be accelerating since a force is acting on it through the circuit but i was to understand that it does but due to collisions this acceleration is nullified and it instead has a drift velocity which is constant.
My next question is why is the p.d between 1 and 2 zero in the diagram. i get that in an ideal wire resistance is zero between those points so no energy is used to move from point 1 to 2 hence no p.d. But then if no energy is being used to move the charges round the circuit won't they just move to region of positive terminal without losing any energy in the absence of a resistor . Shouldn't they have lost energy moving from one point to another.
Also when a resistor is connected why do we say all the voltage is acting across it, similar to previous question in the fat that i understand that this is the only resistance since ideal wire has zero resistance so all the energy is expended here. But if we look at it that way then what energy willbe used to move the charge from after it has passed the resistor. unless you argue that since the ideal wire has no resistance no energy is required to move it.
P.S : i am in high school so please no complicated equations or theories, thank you. Explain it how you would to a layman
measure of electric potential energy per unit charge, the amount of energy required to move a charge from one point to another per charge.
for example when a charge is between two oppositely charged plates the potential difference is multiplied by the charge and this is the amount of potential energy that will be converted to kinetic energy by the time a charge reaches its destination. My first question was that shouldn't a charge be accelerating since a force is acting on it through the circuit but i was to understand that it does but due to collisions this acceleration is nullified and it instead has a drift velocity which is constant.
My next question is why is the p.d between 1 and 2 zero in the diagram. i get that in an ideal wire resistance is zero between those points so no energy is used to move from point 1 to 2 hence no p.d. But then if no energy is being used to move the charges round the circuit won't they just move to region of positive terminal without losing any energy in the absence of a resistor . Shouldn't they have lost energy moving from one point to another.
Also when a resistor is connected why do we say all the voltage is acting across it, similar to previous question in the fat that i understand that this is the only resistance since ideal wire has zero resistance so all the energy is expended here. But if we look at it that way then what energy willbe used to move the charge from after it has passed the resistor. unless you argue that since the ideal wire has no resistance no energy is required to move it.
P.S : i am in high school so please no complicated equations or theories, thank you. Explain it how you would to a layman
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