Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
EMF is the potential difference or voltage produced by a source such as a battery or generator. It represents the energy per unit charge that is supplied by the source to move charges around a circuit.
A voltmeter is an instrument used to measure the potential difference or voltage across two points in a circuit. It measures how much electrical energy is being transferred between those points.
An ammeter is an instrument used to measure the electric current flowing through a circuit. It tells us how many charges are passing through it per unit time.
Electric Potential Energy: Electric potential energy refers to the stored energy of charged particles due to their position relative to other charged particles or objects.