volt

volt

¹

the derived SI unit of electric potential; the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere, when the power dissipated between these points is 1 watt.

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volt

², volte

1. a small circle of determined size executed in dressage

2. a leap made in fencing to avoid an opponent's thrust

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

volt

[vōlt]

(electricity)

The unit of potential difference or electromotive force in the meter-kilogram-second system, equal to the potential difference between two points for which 1 coulomb of electricity will do 1 joule of work in going from one point to the other. Symbolized V.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

volt

In electric systems the unit of potential difference or electromotive force; when applied across a resistance of 1 ohm, will result in a current flow of 1 ampere.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

volt

A unit of measurement of force, or pressure, in an electrical circuit. The common voltage of an AC power line is 120 volts of alternating current (alternating directions). Common voltages within a computer are from 3 to 12 volts of direct current (one direction only). See voltage and volt-amps.

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Volt

 

a unit of electrical voltage, electrical potential difference, and electromotive force (emf), which is included in the International System of Units. It is named after the Italian scientist A. Volta and is designated by the letter V. It was adopted at the First International Congress of Electricians in 1881 as a practical unit of emf equal to 108 units in the cgs system of units. From 1893 to 1948 the international volt (V_int) was used. It was equal to the voltage or emf which in a conductor having a resistance of 1 Oint produced a current of 1 Aint. An accurate value was established for the international volt by a standard consisting of a group of normal Weston cells. With the change in 1948 to the system of absolute practical electrical units, the volt (Vabs) became a derived unit which is used in the International System of Units: 1 V is the electrical voltage that in an electrical circuit produces a direct current of 1 ampere when dissipating a power of 1 watt.

The unit for potential difference in the cgs electrostatic system and the cgs system is equal to 300 V_abs (more accurately 10^-8·c V, where c is the numerical value of the velocity of light in a vacuum expressed in cm/sec). 1 V_int = 1.00035 V_abs.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.