potential difference
What potential difference means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of potential difference
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Check what you remember
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Reference: OCR
Measured in volts (V), it is the energy transferred per unit charge, so 1 V means 1 J of energy is transferred for each coulomb of charge passing.
The push supplied by a cell, a battery or a mains supply that makes electrical charge flow through a closed circuit.
The quantity that is always across a component, because it compares two points; questions are set using this term.
As charge builds on a surface, the potential difference between it and an earthed conductor grows.
A difference between two points, such as between the live wire and earth, of about 230 V.
The push across a component that drives a bigger current when it is raised.
Topics that use potential difference
- Current, resistance and potential difference (AQA GCSE)
- Electrical charge and current (AQA GCSE)
- Mains electricity (AQA GCSE)
- Static charge (AQA GCSE)
- Simple circuits (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- parallel circuit
- Resistance
- series circuit
- across versus through
- Cell polarity conventions
- charge redistribution
- charging by friction
- closed circuit
Using potential difference in the exam
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