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Re: "Voltage"



I agree with Donald:

I wasn't aware that physicists in any great numbers were opposed to the
word. It's still in most of the textbooks. I thought I was in a very small
minority in my opinion that "voltage", "amperage", and "wattage" are
unnecessary barbarisms best avoided.

In fact "voltage," "amperage," etc. are in use in everyday life of
autoservice shops, but is there a different (instrumental) understanding
that stands behind that use?
"Voltage," as a term, reflects no physics content but the reading
of voltmeter. In a number of other languages, in which I taught and teach,
there is no use of "voltage." The parallel term in use is "electrical
tension," or simply, "tension," which, I think reflects better on physics
that in fact takes place and the historical consolidation of our knowledge.
Volta did not use "voltage," I think, Mel Steinberg wrote about this piece
of physics history very impressively.

I do not think, however, that there is a way to cause any change
and uniform the teaching reality. In our time, people use to practice a
variety of terms for variety of reasons, and they are usually convinced
that their way is the best.

As to the other comment:

So, why are physicists so set against the term "voltage"? It seems to
me that E&M at a general physics level could be simplified by using the
word that the students recognize.

In fact, the "recognition" made by the students very often presents
THE problem in learning physics as the teacher has to bridge with the
original intuitive knowledge of the learner, which is fun, good,
beneficial, enjoyable, but, at the same time, highly untrivial to do and is
very often unsuccessful for many reasons. I would say that our life would
be much easier if our mission were to facilitate students' construction of
knowledge, instead of its re-construction. This is the reality, especially
with regard to introductory courses, especially in modern time.

Igal.