Electrical principles - Terminology

Voltage

Voltage is the term used to describe electrical pressure or electromotive force (EMF).

A battery can create and store voltage or electrical pressure.

A battery has a build up of negative charge at one terminal and positive charge at the other. These charges want to balance out, so there is an electrical force, or strain, between them.

When a circuit is connected between the terminals of a battery, the electrical pressure (voltage) from the battery forces electrons to flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal.

The unit of measurement for voltage is the volt.

If 9V is marked on an electrical globe or other component, this means that the component is designed to operate on nine volts of electrical pressure (voltage).

Quantity	Symbol	Unit	Abbreviation	Meaning
voltage	V	volt	V	electrical pressure