Potential, Electric Absolute

The mathematical expre ion of a property of a point in space, measuring the tendency which existing electric forces would have to drive an electrified unit particle away from or prevent its approach to the point in question, according to whether the point was situated at or was at a distance from the point in question. Potential is not the power of doing work, although, as it is expre ed always with reference to a unit body, it is numerically equal to the number of ergs of work which must be done in order to bring a positive unit of electricity from a region where there is no electric force--which is a region at an infinite distance from all electrified bodies--up to the point in question. This includes the a umption that there is no alteration in the general distribution of electricity on neighboring bodies. (Daniell.) In practice the earth is arbitrarily taken as of zero electric potential. 430   STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.