ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE – EMF:

To make use of electricity by provision of an electric current, the potential different must be maintained. That is, the positive and negative charge must be continuously replenished. A cell (or battery) uses chemical energy to maintain the potential difference.

Another device used for this purpose is the generator, which uses electro-mechanical energy to maintain the potential difference. The potential difference across the terminals of the source (cell, battery or generator) when it is not supplying current, is called Electromotive Force (emf), since this is a measure of the force available to push electrons around the circuit. In a circuit with a current flowing, the potential difference across the terminals of the source is always less than the emf and is referred to as the terminal voltage.