What is voltage drop?

[onetwothree4]

So, voltage drop what is it?


Sounds simple and did some researching.. and got and idea of what it might be.

Is voltage drop.. (The decrease in voltage when electric current passes through resistive elements) [ Voltage drops should only ideally occur with components that utilize current(LED,horn.etc) and not wires, switch .etc]

 

[crutschow]

Even wires and switches have some resistance (assuming they aren't superconducting) so they will also exhibit some small voltage drop when carrying current. That's why larger wire is used for high current circuits -- to reduce the voltage drop.
And it isn't just resistance that can cause voltage drops. In AC circuits inductors and capacitors also exhibit impedance (reactance) that can drop voltage when carrying a current.

 

[onetwothree4]

ok thanks man so it is as simple as the name implies

 

[Jony130]

But sometime a voltage drop = voltage across any individual component.

 

[crutschow]

But sometime a voltage drop = voltage across any individual component.

But that term is usually used when there is more than one component in series.
For example, you don't usually refer to the voltage across a decoupling capacitor as a "voltage drop".