Question

The electric volt is a measure of electrical potential. Identify which of the following can be defined as a volt.
(A) Opposition to electrical motion.
(B) Number of particles in motion
(C) Work per unit charge
(D) Field strength per unit of force.
(E) Electrostatic discharge

Answer 1

Hint: Electric potential is related to the potential energy. Potential energy, in a form, can be said to be the work done required to move an object of interest from a reference point (point of zero potential) to the point where the object has that particular potential energy.
Formula used: In this solution we will be using the following formulae;
\[V = \dfrac{{PE}}{q}\] where \[V\] is the electric potential, \[PE\] is the potential energy, and \[q\] is the charge possessing such potential energy.

Complete Step-by-Step solution:
The electric volt is generally the unit of measurement of voltage, electromotive force (emf), and electric potential. These three quantities are actually similar things just defined in different ways under different circumstances.
The electric potential can in general e defined as the potential energy per unit charge, which can be given mathematically as
\[V = \dfrac{{PE}}{q}\] where \[V\] is the electric potential, \[PE\] is the potential energy, and \[q\] is the charge possessing such potential energy.
Since electric volt is the measure of electric potential, it can thus be defined as the above.
Now potential energy can be defined as the work done in moving the charge from a point of zero potential to the point of that potential energy.
In essence, the volt can then be the work per unit charge as in option c.

Hence, the correct option is C

Note: For clarity, this is actually an analogy. The volt is a unit and hence should be defined in terms of unit. For example, the volt it can be defined as the amount of electric potential when a work done of 1 Joule is done by a charge of 1 coulomb.