Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
potential drop

potential drop

7.0
The difference in electric voltage between two points in a circuit
  • noun
  • /pəˈtɛnʃəl drɑp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : caída de potencial
  • The engineer calculated the potential drop between the power supply and the circuit board to ensure optimal performance.

Examples

  • Since half of the resistance of the atmosphere is in the lower 3 km, most of the potential drop occurs near the surface.

    Academic text (1998)

  • (c) With an electron-doped silicon gate biased at -20 V, a scanning probe measures the potential drop across the channel as a function of various source-drain voltages, V_sd.

    Academic text (2006)

  • A dawn-to-dusk horizontal potential drop of 20-100 kV is impressed upon the geomagnetic polar cap owing to the dynamo interaction of the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field.

    Academic text (1998)

  • In his experiment, he measured a potential drop of 5 volts across the resistor to analyze its behavior.

  • Understanding the potential drop in the circuit is crucial for diagnosing electrical issues effectively.

Synonyms

potential
vspotential drop
  • Specialized
81 8.1

The electric difference between two points in a circuit that makes current flow

focuses on the electrical level difference between points rather than charge amount
voltage
vspotential drop
  • Specialized
70 4.0

The electric pressure that makes electricity move between two points

is the same idea expressed as the drop between two points in a circuit
potential difference
vspotential drop
  • Specialized
1 4.1

The electric push between two points in a circuit measured in volts

describes the electrical level difference between points rather than a charge difference
voltage drop
vspotential drop
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A loss of electrical pressure when current goes through a wire or part of a circuit

names the static measured difference between two points, not the loss during flow

Surface Forms

potential drop singular
potential drops plural

Morphology

potential + drop

The phrase denotes a drop (fall/decrease) in electrical potential and is directly built from 'potential' (electric potential) + 'drop' (a fall), so a learner who knows both constituent senses can infer the meaning. It is a straightforward compositional technical collocation (cf. 'voltage drop') and similar constructions exist cross-linguistically, making it immediately understandable rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

Potential drop comes from the idea of potential as electric 'pressure' and drop as a fall. Imagine electric pressure falling between two points like water going downhill. That 'fall' is the 'difference in electric potential' measured in 'volts', so the phrase means the voltage difference between two points.