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EMF vs PD: Key Electrical Concepts

Potential difference represents the work or energy required to move a unit of charge between two points in a circuit. Electromotive force is the driving force provided by a voltage source like a battery to push charges through a circuit from low to high potential regions. The key difference is that potential difference is the actual voltage measured across points in a circuit, which decreases as more current is drawn, while electromotive force is the internal driving voltage of the source itself, which remains constant regardless of current or resistance in the circuit.

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626 views6 pages

EMF vs PD: Key Electrical Concepts

Potential difference represents the work or energy required to move a unit of charge between two points in a circuit. Electromotive force is the driving force provided by a voltage source like a battery to push charges through a circuit from low to high potential regions. The key difference is that potential difference is the actual voltage measured across points in a circuit, which decreases as more current is drawn, while electromotive force is the internal driving voltage of the source itself, which remains constant regardless of current or resistance in the circuit.

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faiza
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Difference between pd and

emf.
• The potential difference between two
points in an electrical or electronic circuit
represents the work involved or the
energy released in the transfer of a unit
quantity of electricity from one point to
What is potential the other. For example, when some
charges are present at high potential
region and few charges are present at low

difference? potential energy then there is potential


difference between these two regions.
Objects or charges always moves or flow
from high potential energy region to low
potential energy region by themselves. 
• Electromotive force is defined as the characteristic of
any energy source capable of driving electric charge
around a circuit - it is the force within a voltage source
that drives the current around a circuit. For example, we
know that charges need no force as they move from
What is
high potential to low potential energy. But driving force
is required to move charges from low potential region to
electromotive
high potential region. So, we use a battery to provide
the necessary driving force to move charges from low force?
potential region to high potential region. So, battery is
called emf or electromotive force.
• To explain the difference between EMF and PD, take the example of a simple battery
used to power a circuit. Normally on the outer package of the battery itself the
voltage will be stated: often 1.5 volts for single cell alkaline cells and the like.
However, it is found that when the battery is in use its voltage will fall, especially
when larger loads are applied and as it becomes older, and it has been used. Even
when the cell or battery is new, some voltage drop will be seen when it supplies
current. The reason for this is that there is some resistance inside the cell.
• From this it is possible to define the EMF as the driving potential within any electrical
or electronic source regardless of any internal resistance. It is effectively the voltage
seen on the output of the source, i.e., battery, etc when it is measured with a very
high impedance and no load. It is the internal voltage of the cell.
• The potential difference at any point is the actual potential see at any given point in
a circuit. It is not dependent upon there being no load. In fact, the EMF or a source
and the potential difference are the same when no load is applied to the source. As
a load is applied the potential difference will fall, but the EMF remains the same.
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE (EMF) POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE (PD)

• The electromotive EMF is the driving electric force Potential difference results from
from a cell or generator. the current passing through a
force is the measure resistance within a circuit.
EMF is the cause. Potential difference is the effect.
of energy that it gives The EMF is also present even Potential difference across the

to each coulomb of when no current is drawn


through the battery.
conductor is zero in the absence
of current.

charge, whereas the The unit of EMF is the volt. The unit of potential difference
is the volt.
potential difference EMF remains constant. Potential difference does not
remain constant - it depends
is the amount of upon the circuit conditions.

energy used by the Its symbol is E.


It does not depend on circuit
Its symbol is V.
It depends on the resistance
one coulomb of resistance. between two points of
measurement.
charge.

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