The simplest definition of VOLTAGE you can come up with

[gubavac111]

I've measured it thousands of times, talked about it hundreds of times, but never reaaaaally understood it.

All those definitions seemed so complex, as if they are trying to make the voltage seem so mysterious.

So, after a little bit of thinking, I think the simplest definition of voltage I could come up with would be:

"Voltage is the difference in the amount of electrons between 2 (or more) points."

What do you think? First of all, am I mistaken? If I am, how so?

How would you explain voltage in the dumbest terms possible?

 

[Ian Rogers]

replied to this on AAC

 

[rjenkinsgb]

The simplest explanation is that voltage the electrical equivalent of pressure in a liquid system; how much "force" is available to push current flow through whatever thing.

 

[Reloadron]

How would you explain voltage in the dumbest terms possible?

I don't know about the "dumbest term(s) possible but when I learned it we learned it as Voltage was the unit of electromotive force. Matter of fact we learned Ohms Law as E = I * R where E was the symbol for voltage. While it is taught today as V = I * R. Applying what you have if we wish to use a difference in potential we could say voltage is an electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts. Where volts is the engineering unit of measure.

Ron

 

[Mickster]

I kinda like this (Don't know the origins, just found it on the interwebs):

 

[gophert]

How would you explain voltage in the dumbest terms possible?

A volt is the electromotive force required to move one amp of current through one ohm of resistance.

 

[alec_t]

Voltage = Potential Difference.

 

[Flyback]

Voltage is kind of the amount of pressure available to move charge round a circuit and thus create a current flow.
Radiographers have to set voltage and charge to do an medical x-ray.
They always say charge gives the amount of contrast on the xray, and the degree of blackening, and voltage gives you the xray penetration through the bone and tissue.

 

[evahle]

I was going to use a water hose to explain in simple terms but Mickster explains it just as well in his post above.

 

[unclejed613]

I kinda like this (Don't know the origins, just found it on the interwebs):

View attachment 118581

if i had to guess, i'd say it's from a WWII US Army training course.

the water analogy works pretty good because you can simulate resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, inductors, etc... with it.

voltage is the pressure, current is the flow rate, resistance is the amount of restriction.

 

[gophert]

if i had to guess, i'd say it's from a WWII US Army training course.

the water analogy works pretty good because you can simulate resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, inductors, etc... with it.

voltage is the pressure, current is the flow rate, resistance is the amount of restriction.

I'm interested in making a Colpitts oscillator from plumbing parts.