Units of Voltage

What is Voltage?

Voltage, in physics, refers to the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit or electric field. It represents the amount of energy transferred per unit charge as a charge moves between those points. Voltage is a fundamental concept in electricity, driving the flow of electric current through conductors and determining the intensity of electrical circuits. It is typically measured in volts (V) and plays a crucial role in various electrical systems, from household appliances to complex industrial machinery, as well as in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical power.

Formula of Voltage

The formula for voltage (V) is:

V = W/Q

Where: 𝑉represents voltage (in volts, V)
𝑊 represents the work done or energy transferred (in joules, J)
𝑄 represents the electric charge (in coulombs, C)

What are the Units of Voltage?

Voltage is measured in volts (V), representing electrical potential difference. It determines the flow of electric current in circuits. Common units include millivolts (mV) and kilovolts (kV). Voltage is essential in powering electrical devices and systems.

SI units of Voltage

SI unit of voltage : volt (V)

CGS units of Voltage

CGS unit of voltage : statvolt (abbreviated as statV).

List of Units of Voltage

Unit	Symbol
Volt	V
Millivolt	mV
Microvolt	μV
Kilovolt	kV
Megavolt	MV
Gigavolt	GV
Picovolt	pV
Nanovolt	nV
Statvolt	statV

1. Volt (V): The volt is the SI unit of voltage, representing the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit. It is commonly used in electrical engineering and electronics.
2. Millivolt (mV): The millivolt is equal to one thousandth of a volt (0.001 V). It is often used in low-voltage applications such as sensors and small electronic devices.
3. Microvolt (μV): The microvolt is equal to one millionth of a volt (0.000001 V). It is used to measure very small voltages, such as those generated by biomedical sensors or in precision instrumentation.
4. Kilovolt (kV): The kilovolt is equal to one thousand volts (1000 V). It is commonly used in high-voltage applications such as power distribution systems and electrical transmission lines.
5. Megavolt (MV): The megavolt is equal to one million volts (1,000,000 V). It is used in extremely high-voltage applications such as large-scale power generation and industrial machinery.
6. Gigavolt (GV): The gigavolt is equal to one billion volts (1,000,000,000 V). It is used in specialized fields such as particle accelerators and high-energy physics experiments.
7. Picovolt (pV): The picovolt is equal to one trillionth of a volt (0.000000000001 V). It is used in extremely sensitive measurements, such as those in atomic force microscopy and quantum mechanics experiments.
8. Nanovolt (nV): The nanovolt is equal to one billionth of a volt (0.000000001 V). It is used in very low-level voltage measurements, such as those in thermocouples and electronic noise analysis.
9. Statvolt (statV): The statvolt is a unit of voltage in the CGS (Centimeter-Gram-Second) system. It is used in some scientific and engineering contexts, particularly in electrostatics and plasma physics.

Conversion of units of Voltage

From Unit	To Unit	Conversion Formula
Volt (V)	Millivolt (mV)	millivolts = volts × 1000
Millivolt (mV)	Volt (V)	volts = millivolts / 1000
Volt (V)	Kilovolt (kV)	kilovolts = volts / 1000
Kilovolt (kV)	Volt (V)	volts = kilovolts × 1000
Volt (V)	Megavolt (MV)	megavolts = volts / 1,000,000
Megavolt (MV)	Volt (V)	volts = megavolts × 1,000,000

Volt (V) to Millivolt (mV):

• To convert volts to millivolts, multiply the voltage value by 1000.

Formula: millivolts = volts × 1000

Millivolt (mV) to Volt (V):

• To convert millivolts to volts, divide the voltage value by 1000.

Formula: volts = millivolts / 1000

Volt (V) to Kilovolt (kV):

• To convert volts to kilovolts, divide the voltage value by 1000.

Formula: kilovolts = volts/1000

Kilovolt (kV) to Volt (V):

• To convert kilovolts to volts, multiply the voltage value by 1000.

Formula: volts = kilovolts × 1000

Volt (V) to Megavolt (MV):

• To convert volts to megavolts, divide the voltage value by 1,000,000.

Formula: megavolts = volts/1,000,000​

Megavolt (MV) to Volt (V):

To convert megavolts to volts, multiply the voltage value by 1,000,000.

Formula: volts= megavolts × 1,000,000

FAQ’s

What is 1 volt equal to?

One volt is equal to the electrical potential difference between two points when one joule of energy is transferred per coulomb of charge moved between those points.

What are the 4 basic units of electricity?

The four basic units of electricity are voltage (volts), current (amperes), resistance (ohms), and power (watts). These units are fundamental in electrical calculations and circuit analysis.

What is another term used for voltage?

Another term used for voltage is electric potential difference, which represents the energy per unit charge required to move a charge between two points in an electric field. Voltage is also sometimes referred to as electromotive force (EMF).