Voltage, often referred to as electric potential difference or electric tension, is a fundamental concept in the field of electricity and electronics. It represents the force or energy per unit of electric charge that is required to move a charged particle, typically an electron, between two points in an electric field. Voltage is measured in volts (V), which is the unit of electric potential difference.
In more layman's terms, you can think of voltage as the "pressure" that pushes electric charges through a conductor (such as a wire) in a circuit. It's similar to the way that water pressure pushes water through pipes.
For example, when you connect a battery to a circuit, the battery creates a voltage difference between its positive and negative terminals. This voltage difference drives the flow of electrons from the negative terminal (where electrons have higher potential energy) to the positive terminal (where electrons have lower potential energy). This flow of electrons is what we commonly refer to as electric current.
Higher voltage means that there is more potential energy per unit of charge available to move electrons in the circuit. Lower voltage indicates less potential energy for electron movement. Voltage is a crucial parameter in electrical systems, as it determines how much energy can be transferred and how effectively electric current can flow through a circuit.