Volts to Electron Volts Converter

Volts to Electron Volts

When a single electron moves through an electric potential difference, its energy gain is measured in electron volts (eV). By definition, one electron volt equals the energy an electron acquires when accelerated through one volt of potential.

Formulas

For a single electron:

$$E_{\mathrm{eV}} = V$$

To convert to joules:

$$E_{\mathrm{J}} = V \times e$$

Here $V$ is voltage in volts, $E_{\mathrm{eV}}$ is energy in electron volts, and $e = 1.602 \times 10^{-19}\,\mathrm{C}$ is the elementary charge.

Practical Notes

The electron volt is common in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics because it matches the scale of electron binding and acceleration energies. For macroscopic charge amounts, multiply by the number of electrons or use coulombs directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 1 volt equal to 1 electron volt for one electron?

The electron volt is defined as the kinetic energy gained by one electron when it passes through a potential difference of one volt. Numerically, E(eV) equals the voltage in volts for a single electron.

How do I convert electron volts to joules?

Multiply the energy in eV by the elementary charge e (about 1.602 x 10^-19 J/eV). Our calculator applies E = V x e automatically.

Does this work for multiple electrons?

This tool assumes a single electron. For N electrons at voltage V, total energy is N x V eV or N x V x e joules.

What is the elementary charge?

The elementary charge e is the magnitude of charge on a single electron or proton, approximately 1.602176634 x 10^-19 coulombs.

When is the eV unit used?

Electron volts appear in spectroscopy, semiconductor band gaps, X-ray energies, and particle accelerator physics where energies are small on a joule scale.

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Volts to Electron Volts Calculator