Definition:Electric Potential

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Definition

An electric potential is the amount of work needed to move a unit of electric charge from a given reference point to a specific point in an electric field without producing an acceleration.

The reference point is usually either Earth or a point at infinity, although any point can be used.


Electric potential is a scalar quantity.


Symbol

The usual symbol used to denote the electric potential on a body is $v$.


Dimension

The dimension of measurement of electric potential is $\mathsf M \mathsf L^2 \mathsf T^{−3} \mathsf I^{−1}$.


Units

The SI unit of electric potential is the volt $\mathrm V$.

In the CGS unrationalised electromagnetic system, the base unit of electric potential is the abvolt $\mathrm {abV}$.

In the CGS unrationalised electrostatic system, the base unit of electric potential is the statvolt $\mathrm {statV}$.


Conversion Factors

\(\ds \) \(\) \(\ds 1\) volt
\(\ds \text {corresponds to}\) \(\) \(\ds 10^8\) abvolt (or e.m.u. of electric potential)
\(\ds \text {corresponds to (approximately)}\) \(\) \(\ds \dfrac 1 3 \times 10^{-2}\) statvolt (or e.s.u. of electric potential)


Also known as

An electric potential is also known as:

  • electric field potential
  • potential drop or potential difference
  • electrostatic potential.


In common parlance, an electric potential is referred to as voltage, from the fact that it is usually specified in volts.

Some sources also use this term, but this is deprecated on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.


Also see

  • Results about electric potential can be found here.


Sources