Question

Electromotive force of a cell is basically a
A. Force
B. Power
C. Work
D. Current capacity

Answer 1

Hint: The name of something does not resemble the original working of that thing. As the name implies to force, the electromotive force is not just a force applied to a cell. The working of the electromotive force is way different than its name.

Complete step by step answer:
The electromotive force of a cell is work done per unit charge of the cell. The force is a special type of potential difference in a cell, also known as emf of a cell. The amount of work done on a unit charge to displace it from one place to another is known as the electromotive force.
Consider a cell that has two terminals, one with the higher potential is known as a positive end, and one with the lower potential is known as the negative end. This potential difference between two terminals is the primary source of emf of the cell.
When there is not any lamp or external circuit connected to the cell, there is not any current that is present in the cell. When a lamp is connected to the cell, some amount of current starts flowing through the circuit. The negatively charged electron starts moving from one end to another end of the cell, which constitutes an electric current in the circuit.
The emf of the cell produces an electric field inside the cell directed from positive to negative terminal of the cell. When the electron starts moving from one end to another this induced electric field resists the motion of the electrons which means some work has to be done on the electrons of the circuit to overcome this electric field’s resistance. This work done per unit charge of the circuit is known as electromotive force

So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note:
The work done is associated with the force applied to cover some distance for the particle. There is some work being done in the case of cells that is why this work done has given a name of a force.