electric potential

Electric potential is like water pressure in a hose. If you have lots of water stored up in a tank with a hose attached, it builds up pressure. If you open the end of the hose, the pressure will push the water out.

Electric potential is similarly a measure of pressure. Instead of water, there is lots of energy stored in an electric circuit, like a battery. The energy tries to flow from place to place through wires and circuits in a way that is similar to how water flows through a hose. To measure the ability for this energy to flow, we use a measure called electric potential - just like we measure water pressure in a hose using a pressure gauge!