What is the basic unit of electrical potential difference?

What is the basic unit of electrical potential difference?

• A. Voltage
• B. Volt
• C. Watt
• D. Ohm

Answer: (B)

Voltage is the potential difference that drives current, and its unit is the volt. A volt equals one joule per coulomb, so a 1-volt difference provides 1 joule of energy to each coulomb of charge moved. In circuits, you measure this with a voltmeter. The other terms refer to different quantities: watt is for power (voltage times current), and ohm is for resistance (volts per amp). Voltage describes the push, while the volt is the unit that quantifies how strong that push is.

Voltage is the potential difference that drives current, and its unit is the volt. A volt equals one joule per coulomb, so a 1-volt difference provides 1 joule of energy to each coulomb of charge moved. In circuits, you measure this with a voltmeter. The other terms refer to different quantities: watt is for power (voltage times current), and ohm is for resistance (volts per amp). Voltage describes the push, while the volt is the unit that quantifies how strong that push is.