Physics 12.4.1b - Electric Potential and Potential Difference, continued

Continuation of the previous video. A discussion of electric potential and potential difference. High school difficulty level. From the physics course by Derek Owens. The distance learning course is available at http://www.derekowens.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Physics
• electricity
• electric potential
• potential difference
• voltage
• homeschool
• distance learning
• Derek Owens

[1997naman]

just a que

the concept of positive charge or protons moving from higher potential energy to lower potential energy is just therotical or it is in real case ?

[derekowens]

@1997naman Both. It's good theory, and the charges also behave that way in the real world. They naturally move from higher potential to lower, just like water naturally flows downhill (flowing from higher PE to lower).  Every electric circuit works on this principle.

[NIKHIL00TEJA]

i hve 1 dought do electrons flow from higher potential to lower potential ? ? coz my physics sir said they flow from lower potential to higher potential .... is he right ? ? ? and why is the genral voltage in INDIA 220V-240V and in  USA it is 110V-120V ? ?

[derekowens]

@NIKHIL00TEJA Your physics teacher is correct. The reason is that electrons are negative.

Just as a mass always falls from a place of higher potential energy to lower potential energy, so does a charge. Charge will naturally fall from higher potential to lower potential. The catch is that this is true for positive charges. Electrons are negative, so they move in the opposite direction.

[Parishrut2]

In India, we also have devices with three pins. How's that?

[derekowens]

@Parishrut2 The third connection is probably the "ground" or "earth". The wire literally runs into the ground.

[Fernicia]

Thanks for this, you're a hundred times better than my physics teacher.

[NoBillsOfCrashDamage]

You can learn better with funny drawings and good explanations. Thanks Mr. Derek!

[bluegrapes2010]

you re so awesome!!!!

[halfpup]

this is the first time i was disappointed when a physics video ended. this is so interesting i could watch videos all day (ok maybe not but still)

[4thKyuubi]

What would happen of you switched up the two wires, say plug the wire that has lower potential energy into the higher potential socket?

[1997naman]

Sir u r really brilliant 

[AceFrolic720]

If i defined Electric Potential..would it be:

'Difference in electrical potential energy between two points in a complete circuit, relative to the potential at infinity.' ??

I made this up.

PS - i have no idea what 'infinity' here means.

PPS - where does the idea of a 'point charge' fall into all this??