Define the potential difference between two points.

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Jasmine Grover

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Potential difference, also known as voltage, is a measure of the electrical potential energy difference between two points in an electric circuit. It represents the amount of energy required to move a unit charge from one point to another in the circuit.

  1. The potential difference between any two points is defined as the amount of work done to move a unit of positive charge without acceleration from one point to another between the two points.
  2. It is denoted by dV.

dv = \(dw \over dq\)

  • The potential difference between two points in a circuit can be thought of as the electrical equivalent of the height difference between two points in a gravitational field.
  • Just as the height difference determines the amount of potential energy that an object possesses, the potential difference between two points in a circuit determines the amount of energy that is available to be transferred to the circuit's components.
  • Potential difference is usually measured in volts (V), which is a unit of electrical potential.

potential difference

Therefore, the potential difference between two points in a circuit is a measure of the electrical potential energy difference between those two points and represents the amount of energy that is available to be transferred to the circuit's components.

The potential difference between baby two points A and B is the shift in the potential energy of a charge q, divided by the charge when it’s shifted from A to B.

Vb – Va \({U_b - U_a \over q} = {W_{ab}\over q} = dV\)

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CBSE CLASS XII Related Questions

  • 1.
    The figure shows three point charges kept at the vertices of triangle ABC. The net electric field, due to this system of charges, at the midpoint M of base BC will be:

      • \( \frac{q}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along MA
      • \( \frac{q}{\pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along AM
      • \( \frac{q}{2 \pi \epsilon_0 l^2} \) pointing along AM
      • Zero

    • 2.
      A square loop of side 0.50 m is placed in a uniform magnetic field of 0.4 T perpendicular to the plane of the loop. The loop is rotated through an angle of 60° in 0.2 s. The value of emf induced in the loop will be:

        • 5 V
        • 3.5 V
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        • Zero V

      • 3.
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          • 4.
            Draw the number of scattered particles versus the scattering angle graph for scattering of alpha particles by a thin foil. Write two important conclusions that can be drawn from this plot.


              • 5.
                Draw a circuit diagram of a full-wave rectifier using p-n junction diodes. Explain its working and show the input-output waveforms.


                  • 6.
                    Write any two features of nuclear forces.

                      CBSE CLASS XII Previous Year Papers

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