What are Volts?
Volts are the base unit of voltage and measure the potential difference between two points. This unit of electric potential shows the difference in the electrical circuit. It refers to the electrical pressure inside a circuit and is measured in volts. When the volts increase then the current will increase as well.
This current will flow through the system in a loop and if the circuit is not broken. A broken circuit, such as a switch, will have the power dissipated. One voltage is the difference in electrical potential among two different points within a circuit or wire.
Voltage is what causes charges to move in a wire or other conductor. It is what makes electrical charges move. One volt is defined as the “difference in electric potential between two points of a conducting wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between those points.” The volt is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta.
What are Watts?
Watts are described as the base unit of the electrical power within electrical systems. It will measure the amount of energy released within a system per second. The amount of voltage and current within the system will determine how many watts are made. If the wattage is higher this means that there is more electrical energy and power being produced.
The watt unit is named after James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine.One watt is defined as the energy consumption rate of one joule per second.One watt is also defined as the current flow of one ampere with voltage of one volt. One thousand watts equal one kilowatt. Most electrical devices are rated in watts.
One Watt is a small amount of power. Some devices require only a few Watts to operate, and other devices require larger amounts. The power consumption of small devices is usually measured in Watts, and the power consumption of larger devices is measured in kilowatts (kW), or 1,000 Watts.
Electricity generation capacity is often measured in multiples of kilowatts, such as megawatts (MW) and gigawatts (GW). One MW is 1,000 kW (or 1,000,000 Watts), and one GW is 1,000 MW (or 1,000,000,000 Watts).
Also Read: Difference Between Volts And Amps
Volt vs Watts In Tabular Form
| Basis of Comparison | Watts | Volts |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Watt is the SI unit of Power. | Volts is the SI unit of potential difference and EMF. |
| Formula | Watt can be expressed, Watts = Current*Volts | Volt can be expressed, Volts = (Potential energy)/(Charge) |
| Units | The unit of Watt is Power | The unit of Volt is Electromotive force and potential difference |
| Symbol | Symbolically Watt can be expressed by W | Symbolically Volt can be expressed byV |
| Difficulty in measurement | In terms of taking a reading of Watts is difficult because it requires the quantities of both voltage and current. | In terms of taking the reading of Volts is very easy. |
| Measurement | Watts provide a more relevant measurement for Power | Volt measures a small portion of voltage from the power source |
| Measuring Device | Watt can be measured by Power Meter | Volt can be measured by Voltmeter |
| Base Unit | The basic unit of Watt is KgM2A-1S-3 | The basic unit of Volt is KgM2S-3 |
Also Read: Difference Between Voltage And Current
What you need to know about volt and watt
- The volt is the SI unit of electromotive force and potential differences, whereas the watt is the SI unit of power.
- The symbolic representation of volts is V whereas the watt is represented by the symbol W.
- The reading takings in volt are easier as compared to watts because watt requires both the quantities of voltage and current.
- In volts, a small amount of power is measured whereas watt measure the real power utilises by the electrical devices.
- The value in volts is measured by the voltmeter whereas watt is measured by the power meter.
- The base unit of watts is KgM2S-3 and the base unit of a volt is KgM2A-1S-3. The base unit is the fundamental unit which is not combined with any other unit examples – meter, kilogram, second, ampere etc.