milivolt

The milivolt (symbol: mV) is a unit of electric potential or electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It represents one-thousandth of a volt, the SI base unit for voltage. The milivolt is commonly used in various scientific, engineering, and industrial applications where smaller voltage measurements are required, such as in electronics, telecommunications, and biomedical fields.

The conversion between milivolts and volts is straightforward: 1 volt equals 1,000 milivolts (1 V = 1000 mV). Similarly, 1 milivolt equals 0.001 volts (1 mV = 0.001 V). This unit is particularly useful in contexts where voltages are measured in the millivolt range, such as in electrochemical cells, audio signals, or physiological measurements like electrocardiograms (ECGs).

In practical applications, milivolts are often used to describe the output of sensors, such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, or light sensors, where the voltage signal corresponds to a physical quantity. For example, a thermocouple may generate a few millivolts in response to a temperature change. Similarly, audio signals in analog systems are sometimes measured in millivolts, particularly at the input or output stages of amplifiers.

The milivolt is also relevant in the study of electrical safety, as it helps quantify the low-voltage levels that may pose minimal risk to humans. For instance, typical household AC voltage is 120 V or 230 V, but signals in communication systems or small electronic devices often operate at much lower levels, such as a few millivolts.

While the milivolt is derived from the volt, it is not an SI-derived unit but rather a decimal multiple of the base unit. It is widely accepted in technical and scientific documentation due to its practicality in describing small-scale electrical phenomena.