MILLIVOLTS Meaning and
Definition
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Millivolts are a unit of measurement used in the field of electronics and electrical engineering to quantify electrical potential difference, also known as voltage. The term "millivolt" is derived from the combination of the words "milli," meaning one thousandth, and "volt," the standard unit of measurement for voltage.
More specifically, a millivolt is equal to one thousandth of a volt, or 0.001 volts. It represents a very small amount of electrical potential difference. Millivolts are commonly used to measure low-level or small electrical signals, such as those found in sensor outputs, audio signals, or certain electronic components.
Millivolts are denoted using the symbol "mV" and are part of the metric system of measurement. The millivolt scale is often used to express voltages that are too small to be conveniently measured in volts. For example, the output of a thermocouple measuring temperature, or the signals from various sensors and transducers, are frequently expressed in millivolts.
In practice, millivolts are easily measurable using appropriate instruments such as digital multimeters or oscilloscopes. They are commonly employed across a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, experimental physics, biomedical engineering, and electronics manufacturing. Understanding and accurately measuring millivolts is crucial for designing, troubleshooting, and analyzing electronic circuits and systems.
Etymology of MILLIVOLTS
The word "millivolts" has a straightforward etymology. It is derived from the combination of two terms: "milli" and "volts".
The prefix "milli" comes from the Latin word "millesimus", meaning "a thousandth". It is commonly used as a SI prefix denoting a factor of one thousandth (0.001). In the case of "millivolts", it signifies one thousandth of a volt.
The term "volt" is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, who invented the electric battery. Volta discovered and studied the concept of electromotive force, which became known as the "volt" in his honor. The name was officially adopted as the unit of measurement for electrical potential difference and electromotive force.
