Current is a flow of electrical charge. Voltage measures the energy carried by the charge flowing in a circuit. This electrical energy is transferred in the circuit into light, heat and movement.
voltageThe potential difference across a cell, electrical supply or electrical component. It is measured in volts (V). is a measure of the difference in electrical energy between two parts of a circuit. The bigger the difference in energy, the bigger the voltage.
Voltage is measured in voltUnit of voltage. For example, the voltage across the lamp was 6 volts (V).. The symbol for volts is \(V\). For example, \(230V\) is a bigger voltage than \(12V\).
Measuring voltage
Voltage is measured using a voltmeterA device used to measure potential difference or voltage.. Some types of voltmeter have a pointer on a dial, but most have a digital readout. To measure the voltage across a componentWorking parts of a product or system. in a circuit, you must connect the voltmeter in parallelStraight lines are parallel if they are always the same distance apart. Parallel lines never meet, no matter how far they are extended. with it.
Figure caption,
Circuit with cell, lamp and voltmeter. The voltmeter is connected in parallel to the lamp
You can measure the voltage across a cell or batteryA chemical supply of electrical energy. For example, common battery voltages include 1.5 V and 9 V.. The more cells, the bigger the voltage.