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RichM

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21 minutes ago, mross said:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amperage - note first use in 1888.  I have used it over 40 years.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wattage - first use 1903.  Have you never talked about the wattage of a light bulb?

Firstly, that's an American dictionary, secondly it's referring to common usage, not technical. The fact that you've used it for 40 years is irrelevant - my grandmother used 'cerstificate' all her life, it didn't make it right. 

I have referred to a 60 watt lightbulb but if I'd ever talked about its wattage I'd have been marked down by my physics tutor.

As for dates, in 1861 it was proposed that the unit of measurement of current should be the Galvat. That never stuck and Ampére was chosen instead. Ampérage was nowhere in any of those 19th century discussions. 

https://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/dictionary/history-in-the-toolbox-the-vocabulary-of-electrical-units/

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12 minutes ago, mross said:

If you enter this in Google - site:ieee.org amperage - you will see IEEE publications mentioning 'amperage' from at least 1930!

What a researcher may erroneously write in a paper shows only their ignorance, not the correctness of the word. 

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2 hours ago, bizzard said:

Pay ohmage to the once great and almighty Ameater.

Not a vegan then?

 

Is this all a lot to do about nothing?

Ampage, amperage, voltage, volterage, wattage................................................

Does it matter? The most important thing is we understand what the poster said who may not be entirely versed in technical dictionaries.

Edited by Mikexx
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21 minutes ago, mross said:

Would you use acreage, footage, mileage, percentage or tonnage?  All sound quite euphonious to me. :)

Yes, I'd use them, but I wasn't trained in any sphereage that used them so I might well be incorrect in so doing. :) 

24 minutes ago, Mikexx said:

Does it matter? The most important thing is we understand what the poster said who may not be entirely versed in technical dictionaries.

Does anything really matter?

This is getting rather deep for a Monday. 

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1 hour ago, WotEver said:

The PD is what's left of the EMF :lol:

Oh, and it's a voltage. Measured in volts :P

I would have said potential difference is just that. A measured voltage is always relative to another conductor.

An emf is usually described for a source voltage, but would be measured as a potential difference.

Perhaps Sir Nibble can enlighten us?

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5 minutes ago, Mikexx said:

I would have said potential difference is just that. A measured voltage is always relative to another conductor.

An emf is usually described for a source voltage, but would be measured as a potential difference.

Yes, an EMF is the source voltage potential. Therefore the PD of an open circuit will be identical to the EMF. As soon as current flows the PD will obviously be lower but the EMF doesnt change. 

Edited by WotEver
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Wot about a back emf then? 

That's not the source voltage, but an opposing voltage either generated or from a battery cell connected the wrong way round.

I suppose being pedantic you say the generator, or counter emf cell was another voltage source though.

(Says he arguing with himself and losing :mellow:)

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1 hour ago, cuthound said:

Wot about a back emf then? 

That's not the source voltage, but an opposing voltage either generated or from a battery cell connected the wrong way round.

I suppose being pedantic you say the generator, or counter emf cell was another voltage source though.

(Says he arguing with himself and losing :mellow:)

Well done, you won that argument ;)

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4 hours ago, Sir Nibble said:

I describe the difference between pd and emf with reference to a string of Christmas lights. 12V across the bulb is emf, take the bulb out and the pd measured at the same points is 230V.

 

Are you sure? Isn't 230V the emf and 12V the potential difference with the bulb inserted? :P

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13 minutes ago, Mikexx said:

Are you sure? Isn't 230V the emf and 12V the potential difference with the bulb inserted? :P

Yes it is. Mr Snib got it backwards. With the bulb removed the PD raises to the value of the EMF. 

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On 21/08/2017 at 11:58, WotEver said:

 

I have referred to a 60 watt lightbulb but if I'd ever talked about its wattage I'd have been marked down by my physics tutor.

My school physics master insisted that the correct term was 'lamp', and that the word 'bulb' should only be used to describe the glass envelope which forms part of a lamp.

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2 hours ago, David Mack said:

My school physics master insisted that the correct term was 'lamp', and that the word 'bulb' should only be used to describe the glass envelope which forms part of a lamp.

And there was me calling them globes all these years.

:)

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2 hours ago, David Mack said:

My school physics master insisted that the correct term was 'lamp', and that the word 'bulb' should only be used to describe the glass envelope which forms part of a lamp.

I'd agree with him.

And theatre 'lights' are lanterns. Unless they're follow-spots ;)

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