Electric Potential Difference (Also seen in GCSE Physics 2 and AS Unit 1)

Electric potential is the work done per unit charge which can be written like this:

We came across this equation in the QVIRt lesson of Unit 1. We used it to define the potential difference as the energy given to each charge. From what we have just defined we can now update our definition of potential difference. Potential difference is the difference in electric potential between two points in an electric field.

The work done to move a charge from potential V₁ to potential V₂ is given by:

which can be written as