What does "voltage" refer to in electrical terms?

Voltage refers to the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit. It is a measure of the electric potential energy per unit charge that drives the flow of electric charge. This potential difference is what causes current to flow within a circuit, allowing the electrical energy to be transferred and utilized by devices.

Understanding voltage is fundamental in electrical systems because it dictates how much energy is available to be converted into other forms, such as light, heat, or motion. While current refers to the flow of electric charge caused by this potential difference, voltage itself is not about the flow but rather the potential to cause that flow.

Other concepts like power consumption or total resistance are related but distinct; power is the rate at which energy is used, and resistance is a measure of how much a component opposes the flow of current. Thus, the primary association of voltage is with the potential difference that initiates and sustains electric current between points in a circuit.