Talk:Electromotive force
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Emf is often used as a synonym for potential difference, where the potential difference is induced by an energy source such as a battery. This usage is considered obsolete.
I thought that it is not the same because of the internal resistance in the battery, and that therefore the concept of emf is still needed for a battery. - Patrick 12:09 Feb 4, 2003 (UTC)
What's obsolete?
I believe the expression electromotive force in words is obsolete, but the expression emf in letters is not. The problem is the word force — an emf is not a force, so it should not be called one. Thus I recommend moving this article to EMF (voltage), and writing "The expression EMF used to stand for electromotive force, but the term electromotive force is now obsolete, and EMF is a substitute for it."
Any comments?
Fg2 06:20, Sep 5, 2004 (UTC)
- The term "electromotive force" is still used in the latest edition of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics, and a literature search of the last 14 years finds at least 250 journal articles that use the term in their titles and/or abstracts. So, I don't think there is any evidence to support the argument that the term is "obsolete" in the sense of "no longer used" or even "no longer used by professionals". Yes, it is a bit of a misnomer, but these things happen in language. —Steven G. Johnson 19:14, Sep 5, 2004 (UTC)
Further editing
Altered the wording and also added a physical analogy for voltage as a force. Edit was done by me ElBarto as 203.79.121.174.