What is voltage?

[TheAmmoniacal]

Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what it is.

[ataradov]

Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what it is.

The question is too broad. What is gravity? What is anything?

[AndyC_772]

The voltage difference between two points is a measure of the net work required to move a unit charge from one point to the other.

If you want a definition of the "absolute" voltage at a point, rather than just the difference between two points, then it's the work done moving a unit charge from infinity to that point.

[TheAmmoniacal]

Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what it is.

The question is too broad. What is gravity? What is anything?

We can't explain what gravity is because we don't have a quantum theory of gravity, but we do have a complete theory of electromagnetism.

[ataradov]

We can't explain what gravity is because we don't have a quantum theory of gravity, but we do have a complete theory of electromagnetism.

Well, the explanation above is commonly accepted as technically correct. Do you want some other explanation?

[MK14]

Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what it is.

 Re: What is voltage?

Mr Positive and Mr Negative, hate each other. So they have come to an Ammoniacal agreement, that the larger the voltage level is, the more they will push the current around the circuit.

[TheAmmoniacal]

The voltage difference between two points is a measure of the net work required to move a unit charge from one point to the other.

If you want a definition of the "absolute" voltage at a point, rather than just the difference between two points, then it's the work done moving a unit charge from infinity to that point.

A perfectly adequate definition, but not an explanation. If you have two pieces of metal, one at +12V relative to the other, what's physically different about the two pieces of metal?

[AndyC_772]

Physically, one contains a slightly different proportion of positively charged particles to negatively charged particles. The ratio of protons to electrons is different.

[steverino]

I like the circular definition humoursly mentioned in Learning the Art of Electronics:

"A Volt is what pushes an Amp through an Ohm"

[TheAmmoniacal]

Physically, one contains a slightly different proportion of positively charged particles to negatively charged particles. The ratio of protons to electrons is different.

That happened quicker than I thought. Thanks.

[AndyC_772]

No problem. Next time I'm in Norway I'll claim that beer 

[TheAmmoniacal]

No problem. Next time I'm in Norway I'll claim that beer 

Hah, sure. They are expensive here though so we might have to split it 

[tatus1969]

Physically, one contains a slightly different proportion of positively charged particles to negatively charged particles. The ratio of protons to electrons is different.

That happened quicker than I thought. Thanks.

I would not give the beer before I had an explanation of what these particles are. I know someone will say electrons then, but what are electrons?

[BravoV]

Probably not a question for the beginner's section, but I'll try anyway. Free beer to the guy who can actually explain what it is.

I have a beer, you don't, you're dying to drink my beer, hence you're getting crankier .. same as electrical conductive material at two different positions .. the electron is the beer.