I’ve heard the definitions of it being “energy transferred per charge”, “potential difference”, and “the difference between the electrons in the positive and negative terminals of a battery” but I still don’t really understand some of these definitions, and can’t really wrap my head around what exactly is it.
I also don’t really get how it is the thing that can “power up” a circuit (I might have misunderstood this part” and how the definitions above can be the same thing
In: Physics
There are way smarter people than me that will chime in. But what I was taught in college, in the most basic terms, is this:
Amperage is work. That is, at least 1 electron being knocked off one atom on to another repeatedly along the exterior of a copper wire (or other medium) transferring the electron value from a point of high electrical value, to another point of lower electrical value.
This could be 1 electron at a time, or it could be lots. And since this typically occurs on the outside surface of a copper wire. The more strands you have the faster, and more electrons can transfer.
Voltage is pressure of the transfer of those electrons. The greater the difference between the high value and low value points? The faster and greater number of electrons will trans in an unregulated system.
Resistance is the amount of inefficiencies present either naturally, or artificially in a circuit. In a perfect example you might have point A that has a 5 electron value, and point B that has a 2 electron value. You connect the two points and you would have 1 electrons leap to point B with the 7th floating between the two points. (This isn’t factual but a representation of stasis).
In the real world nothing is perfect and all transfers cost something. So in this made up example, you might have 1 electron leap to point B. At the cost of the 7th electron leaving the total balance of 3 electrons in both points and stasis.
I hope this helps. And I’m sure there are at least some errors as they have learned a lot since I was in college.
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