Volta potential by its work function, and so dissimilar metals can show an electric potential difference even at equilibrium. The Volta potential is "not" an intrinsic property of the two bulk metals under consideration, but rather is determined by work function differences between the metals' surfaces. Just like the work function, the Volta potential depends sensitively on surface state, contamination, and so on. The potential is given by the formula: formula_1, where V is the potential, The Volta potential can be significant (of order 1 volt) but it cannot be measured directly by an ordinary voltmeter. A voltmeter does not measure vacuum
Electric current with formula_20 being the elementary charge and formula_21 the electron density. The carriers move in the direction of decreasing concentration, so for electrons a positive current results for a positive density gradient. If the carriers are holes, replace electron density formula_21 by the negative of the hole density formula_23. In linear anisotropic materials, "σ", "ρ" and "D" are tensors. In linear materials such as metals, and under low frequencies, the current density across the conductor surface is uniform. In such conditions, Ohm's law states that the current is directly proportional to the potential difference between two ends (across) of that