To impart the first charge to one of the armatures of a Holtz or other influence machine.

the rate of activity, of doing work, or of expending energy. The practical unit of electric power is the volt-ampere or watt, equal to 1E7 ergs per second. The kilowatt, one thousand watts or volt-amperes, is a frequently adopted unit.

The British unit of force; the force which acting on a mass of one pound for one second produces an acceleration of one foot. [Transcriber's note: The force which acting on a mass of one pound produces an acceleration of ONE FOOT PER SECOND PER SECOND.]

An arrangement somewhat similar to the Wheatstone Bridge for determining potential difference, or the electro-motive force of a battery. In general principle connection is made so that the cell under trial would send a current in one direction through the galvanometer. Another battery is connected, and in shunt with its circuit the battery under trial [...]

The potential of the earth is arbitrarily taken as the zero of electric potential. The theoretical zero is the potential of a point infinitely distant from all electrified bodies.

The arbitrary or conventional potential–or briefly, the potential of a point in an electric field of force–is, numerically, the number of ergs of work necessary to bring a unit of electricity up to the point in question from a region of nominal zero potential–i. e., from the surface of the earth. (Daniell.) This would give [...]

In general the higher potential. Taking the assumed direction of lines of force, they are assumed to be directed or to move from regions of positive to regions of negative potential. The copper or carbon plate of a voltaic battery is at positive potential compared to the zinc plate.

The reverse of positive potential. (See Potential, Positive.)

The magnetic potential at any point of a magnetic field expresses the work which would be done by the magnetic forces of the field on a positive unit of magnetism as it moves from that point to an infinite distance therefrom. The converse applies to a negative unit. It is the exact analogue of absolute [...]

The change in potential between any two points on an active circuit. The change in potential due to the maintenance of a current through a conductor. The fall in potential multiplied by the current gives work or energy units. The fall of potential in a circuit and its subsequent raising by the action of the [...]