spanningspath

Spanningspath is a term used in electrical engineering and related Dutch-language literature to describe the route that electrical potential, or voltage, follows through a circuit or network. It denotes a conceptual path along which voltage rises and falls occur as energy moves from a source to loads, sensors, and measurement points. The concept helps engineers visualize how voltage is distributed across conductors, components, and connection points, and it supports analyses of insulation requirements, shielding, and safety clearances.

In practice, a spanningspath is not a single physical wire but the sequence of conductors and components that define voltage differences within a subsystem. Analyzing the spanningspath aids in identifying where voltage stress concentrates, locating fault paths, and calculating voltage drops caused by resistance, reactance, and other impedances. It can be used in both the design phase and in fault analysis to ensure that insulation, isolation barriers, and clearance distances are appropriate along the relevant route of potential change.

Terminology and usage vary by region and discipline. Some sources describe similar ideas with terms like voltage distribution, potential path, or span of the circuit rather than spanningspath. In educational contexts, spanningspath is often introduced to illustrate how the source imposes a voltage landscape across a network and how measurement references relate to ground and return paths. See also voltage drop, electrical potential, and insulation coordination.