In physics, electrical potential is the energy possessed by an electric charge in a particular configuration. It is typically measured in volts. The SI Unit for electrical potential is the volt.
The concept of electrical potential arises from the fact that electric charges have the ability to do work on each other. This work done results in a change of energy within the system of charges, and it is this change in energy that we call “electrical potential.”
The amount of work that can be done by a charge depends on two things:
(1) The strength of the force between charges; and (2) The distance over which this force acts. In order to maximize the amount of work done, we need to have strong forces acting over large distances – something like gravity between masses or friction between surfaces.