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3.1 | |
Copper Media | |
| 3.1.2 | |
Voltage |
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Voltage is sometimes referred to as
electromotive force (EMF). EMF is related to an electrical force, or
pressure, that occurs when electrons and protons are separated. The
force that is created pushes toward the opposite charge and away from
the like charge. This process occurs in a battery, where chemical
action causes electrons to be freed from the negative terminal of the
battery. The electrons then travel to the opposite, or positive,
terminal through an EXTERNAL circuit. The electrons do not travel
through the battery itself. Remember that the flow of electricity is
really the flow of electrons. Voltage can also be created in three
other ways. The first is by friction, or static electricity. The
second way is by magnetism, or electric generator. The last way that
voltage can be created is by light, or solar cell.
Voltage is related to the electrical
fields emanating from the charges associated with particles such as
protons, electrons, etc. Voltage is represented by the letter V, and
sometimes by the letter E, for electromotive force. The unit of
measurement for voltage is volt (V).
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Volt is defined as the amount of
work, per unit charge, needed to separate the charges.
Lab Activity
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