Voltage rail意思

"Voltage rail" is a term commonly used in electronics, particularly in the context of power supplies and power distribution within electronic systems. A rail, in this context, refers to a direct current (DC) power line that supplies a constant voltage to various components within a circuit or system. The term "rail" likely originates from the metaphorical idea of a rail track, where the voltage is "railed" or fixed at a certain level.

Here's a breakdown of the term:

• Voltage: This is the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit, which causes a flow of current when a load is connected.
• Rail: In electronics, a rail refers to a stable, well-defined voltage supply that is distributed to various parts of a system. It's a metaphorical way of describing a path or line along which the voltage is maintained at a specific level.

So, a "voltage rail" is a specific, stable voltage supply that is distributed to different components within a circuit or system. For example, a +5V voltage rail would supply a consistent 5 volts to components that require that voltage level.

In power supplies, multiple voltage rails are often used to provide different voltage levels to different parts of a system. This allows for more efficient power distribution and management, as well as the ability to meet the varying voltage needs of different components.

Voltage rails are particularly important in systems with multiple components that require different voltage levels, such as in computers, where the power supply unit (PSU) might have separate rails for +3.3V, +5V, +12V, and -12V, among others. Each rail is designed to supply a certain amount of current to ensure that all components receive the correct voltage and do not overload the power supply.