The electromagnetic unit of electrical potential in the historic centimeter-gram-second system. One abvolt is equivalent to exactly ten nanovolts in the standard SI system. It was defined as the potential difference created when one erg of work moves one abcoulomb of charge. The unit is far too small for practical electrical engineering and was entirely replaced by the SI volt.
The vintage galvanometer manual lists the sensitivity threshold in abvolts.
Related terms
Abfarad
An obsolete unit of capacitance equal to one billion standard farads.
Abmho
A historic unit of electrical conductance equal to one billion siemens.
Abwatt
An electromagnetic power measure equivalent to a ten-millionth fraction of a standard watt.
Nanovolt
A unit of electrical potential equal to one billionth of a volt.