voltios

Volts, abbreviated as V and commonly referred to in Spanish as voltios, form the SI unit of electric potential difference, electromotive force, and electric potential. By definition, a volt is the potential difference between two points of a conductor when a constant current of one ampere passes through the conductor and the conductor’s resistance is one ohm, yielding a power dissipation of one watt. Equivalently, one volt equals one joule per coulomb.

The volt is named after Italian physicist Alessandro Volta and was adopted as an SI unit in the late 19th century. The symbol V is used in measurement and notation. The volt is a derived unit connected to other SI units by V = W/A = J/C, and via Ohm’s law V = I R. This means one volt represents the potential difference that would drive one ampere through a one-ohm resistance, or one watt of power per ampere.

Commonly used prefixes extend the volt: millivolt (mV), kilovolt (kV), microvolt (µV), etc. In practice, voltages range from millivolts in electronic signals to kilovolts in electrical transmission; ordinary household mains are typically around 110–120 V or 220–240 V depending on the country.

Measuring voltages is the function of voltmeters and multimeters. Voltages are a fundamental quantity in circuit analysis and are essential for understanding electrical energy transfer, safety, and device operation.