What are the units of electric potential?

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Study for the UCF PHY2054 General Physics Exam. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions complete with hints and explanations. Boost your understanding and get exam-ready!

Multiple Choice

What are the units of electric potential?

Explanation:
Electric potential is energy per unit charge, so its units come from energy divided by charge. Energy is measured in joules and charge in coulombs, giving joules per coulomb. The SI unit for this ratio is the volt, defined as 1 volt = 1 J/C. So the unit of electric potential is the volt (symbol V). Note that Newton per coulomb would describe electric field (F on a test charge per unit charge, since F = qE and E has units N/C), while joule is energy and coulomb is charge, neither of which alone represents potential.

Electric potential is energy per unit charge, so its units come from energy divided by charge. Energy is measured in joules and charge in coulombs, giving joules per coulomb. The SI unit for this ratio is the volt, defined as 1 volt = 1 J/C. So the unit of electric potential is the volt (symbol V).

Note that Newton per coulomb would describe electric field (F on a test charge per unit charge, since F = qE and E has units N/C), while joule is energy and coulomb is charge, neither of which alone represents potential.

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