Every inquisitive individual has a moment in their life when they start pondering over things that were once unremarkable.
Personally, it was during an elementary school science experiment. A teacher gave us some wires, a battery, and a tiny bulb.
The bulb would light when the wires were connected the right way. When we swapped the battery terminals or removed it entirely, the bulb would go dark.
The wires did not change. The bulb did not change. Then what made the bulb turn on for one moment and off for another?
The potential difference was the answer. Although the term appears to be technical at first, I want to make it so easy for you to grasp that it requires no effort on your part.
Key Takeaways
- Electricity will always flow in an electric circuit if there is potential difference, and it is the the core reason for the existence of electricity.
- Potential difference is reduced to measurement in volts, signifying energy per charge between any given two points.
- No potential difference indicates a lack of electron movement, and consequently no existence of electricity.
- Each and every battery charger and power supply depend on establishing sufficient potential difference.
- With this knowledge, working with electricity in real life becomes safer and more prudent.
When Electricity Needs A Reason To Move
First and foremost, there must be a reason for electricity to flow, and it is dependent on certain conditions. Electricity requires an imbalance in energy or a push, which in this case is called potential difference, or voltage. It is essential in order to do anything with electricity.
To illustrate ‘potential difference’ consider a tank full of water. While it is full, gravity enables the water to flow out. However, if the level is the same on both sides of a pipe, the situation halts. Similarly, electric charges do not move unless an energy level difference exists betwixt two points. When the levels are disparate, movement is effortless. This difference of levels in electricity is referred to as potential difference.
As already established, the battery has one charged end. When installed in a closed circuit, positive terminal has more electrical energy than negative terminal. Hence, there is flow of current. This efflux is relatively higher than the latter half of the battery. However, gas in the top half of the battery is bound to stop. Mercury gas within reserve bounds the lower two-thirds of the channels of the device create a certain pressure.
Ebb and flow of electricity requires a current to be efficient, but in reality there is no energy discrepancy devoid of activity, light or function actively present. While potential difference does give electricity and energy movement, it’s Chicago city law that makes it so.
Seeing It Happen Without Knowing the Name
I recall a time when I was at home and attempted to change the batteries of a remote control.
The remote still didn’t work. I pressed buttons, rotated the batteries, but no result. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the batteries were burnt out.
The batteries themselves were devoid of any voltage. There was no potential difference between the positive and negative terminals. The remote needed a force to help push the current through its circuit. If that was not provided, nothing would happen. That is the way I grasped the idea of energy without having the words to explain it.
I realize now that it was not the current that was missing. Rather, it was the force that could initiate the current. A decent energy source provides a difference in power in the terminals. This is what is known as the potential difference. It is defined as the difference in energy of electricity between two places in a circuit . If this difference exists, there is no reason to not blast electrons. So therefore when all this potential electricity difference does not exist, the electrons are non active.
The Moment a Wire Comes to Life
Now consider a basic electrical circuit. It has a battery. Now, something has changed. Now after you insert the battery into the circuit, what you need to do is close the loop. After completing the loop, the electrons that are motionless and static, begin to align and travel in a specific direction. This technique is known as current. Current flows in a complete loop and as mentioned flows in a single direction.
But current is not possible without a reason. In this instance the reason is the difference in the energy potential between the two ends of the battery. Let’s call it slope. If you set a ball on a smooth vertical surface, then it will not move anywhere. But if you set it on something inclined, then gravity will cause motion. So in electrical language, difference difference is equivelant to a slope, while electrons denote the ball.
That particular image has stayed in my mind. This is true because the fundamental concept is the same across a spectrum of machines, ranging from computers to spacecraft. Another example would be — there should always be a difference between one point and another. That difference should be so large that it could create a flow. I would say that this is unique case where a principle is easy to understand yet immensely powerful.
What Voltage Actually Means to You
In case it is confusing for some people, let’s clarify one of the subtleties. Voltage and potential difference are predominantly treated as interchangeable. This is not a problem because in most situations, these terms convey the same idea. If for instance someone states a battery 9 volts, what a person actually saying is that it has the capability of providing a potential difference of nine volts between the two terminals. That amount of nine volts is what pushes the current through a device.
Voltage denotes the amount of energy associated with a unit of electric charge as it traverses through a circuit. Higher voltage implies greater energy carried by each electron. Because high-voltage apparatus do more work, power more demanding systems, and potentially cause more harm if not handled correctly, we have high-voltage devices. But that core idea of a gap in energy that pushes fuels the charges to move is sufficient. That’s all potential difference is: a gap that wants to be closed.
Why Potential Difference Isn’t the Whole Story
This is something I haven’t noticed earlier. Presence of potential difference does not guarantee current will flow strongly. Resistance is the part of the story left out. The material or obstacle that slows down the flow of electrons is resistance. If a potential difference is a push, resistance acts as the narrowness of a pipe. The wire may exhibit high potential difference, resistance to flow may also exist within the circuit and current might, therefore, be low.
This is the point where Ohm’s Law is useful. It is a straightforward equation of voltage, current, and resistance. But for now remember: a potential difference induces a current to flow, and the resistance determines the amount of flow. Imagine a steep hill with a narrow path: you would want to run up, but the accommodation will force you to take it slow.
Everyday Encounters with Potential Difference
Wondering why there is so much potential difference? The answer hit me during a camping trip. One easily brought along a string of small LED lights which worked off a portable battery. Th ey were meant to light up using 5 Volts, but someone bungled and hooked up a much bigger battery instead.
To put things in perspective, the lights buzzed, flickered and died within seconds. In more simple terms potential difference being too high is even worse. The amount of energy each charge possessed was more than what the LEDs were able to bear and therefore burned out.
The device incident made it clear that all devices utilize energy differently. It is not only electricity that activates them, but rather each device has specific energy levels which it can handle. If this level is exceeded or dropped below, this could damage or weaken the device. The reason for this phenomena is apparent in voltage specific phone chargers, power adapters and batteries. As discussed before, the difference in charge determines the functionality, efficiency and safety of the operation.
Measuring What You Can’t See
If you have used a voltmeter, you have encountered essential difference without realizing it. The basic principle of a voltmeter illustrates measuring potential difference between two points of a circuit and assigning a numerical value that exhibits the level difference in energy of the device and the charge present. It is not necessary to take into account the amount of current moving in the device because current is not absolute with the difference, current does not flow, only potential does.
This gadget enables you to assess whether a circuit is live, check if a battery is full, or determine if a power source is delivering what it claims to give. The most basic wires can come to life with the voltage supplied. Circuits do not operate without the potential difference, and that is why it is critical. When you learn how to measure it, you know what makes the entire electrical system function.
The Role It Plays in Your Everyday Devices
Your laptop is not the only device that uses the electric current from the charger. The charger has a transformer which modifies the potential difference to be exactly what the laptop requires. The same goes for a cellphone. A phone charger might connect to a wall socket that supplies a staggering 120 or 240 volts, but the phone only needs 5 volts. Each device’s potential difference is modified, and as long as it is done correctly, everything is guaranteed to be secure.
Your device’s battery stores energy as potential, not as current. When that energy is needed, the stored difference between the positive and negative terminals drives the current. Every component within your device, whether it be the screen or the processor, is voltage dependent. Having a potential difference that is too low or too high is catastrophic.
Why Power Grids Care So Much About Voltage
If we shift focus from your desk to your block, street, and city, the core principle remains unchanged.
Electricity has to be moved for great distances quickly, which is achieved efficiently with high voltage, which signifies a high potential difference. But once that electricity reaches the houses, it needs to be lowered. That’s where the transformers come in – changing the potential difference into one that is convenient for domestic wiring.
All this adds up to a massive balance complication. When there is not enough potential difference, the machines will slow down or stop completely. But when there is too much, they will overheat or burn out.
The potential difference ‘number’ mentioned above affects the grid’s stability, device health, and the house’s wiring safety.
My Opinion
With an absence of potential difference and a voltage source, not even the most intricately crafted circuit in the world can function.
Is it truly so hard to believe current cannot stem from mere wires? Current does stem from wires, of course, but they require a motive, imbalance, or a push.
That is what potential difference embodies. The foundation behind electrons starting to take action, and as a result every blinking light, whirring fan, and other small electronic device.
Stepping outside the shelter of a mere user and becoming a builder starts from understanding potential difference. Seeing the potential differences into the core of the gadgets will permanently alter your perception and attention.
