A potentiometer, informally a pot, is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat.
The measuring instrument called a potentiometer is essentially a voltage divider used for measuring electric potential (voltage); the component is an implementation of the same principle, hence its name.
Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on audio equipment. Potentiometers operated by a mechanism can be used as position transducers, for example, in a joystick. Potentiometers are rarely used to directly control significant power (more than a watt), since the power dissipated in the potentiometer would be comparable to the power in the controlled load.
There are a number of terms in the electronics industry used to describe certain types of potentiometers:
Late last night I saw you doin' the street
Dodgin' the cops on the beat
It wasn't necessary to know my name
Just to, take me home to play
Sidewalk Sally, crawlin' down the alley
On her hands and knees
Sidewalk Sally, knows what she's sellin'
A little taste of apathy
Now the girl with the golden touch
? short week, don't cost much
I got the money honey, you got the bun
I'll pay for your time, grab the money and run
Sidewalk Sally, crawlin' down the alley
On her hands and knees
Sidewalk Sally, knows what she's sellin'
Apathy
She's on the street again
Out on her path alone again
She can't be late for the devil's son
She looks scared, watch her run
So scared mama look at you run
Run run run, mama look at you run
Yow! So scared mama look at you run
Run run run, mama, look at you run
Sidewalk Sally
Sidewalk Sally
Things were different, in the beginning
There was a future you were winning
But wear and tear, has started to show
The white lady, she won't let you go
Sidewalk Sally, crawlin' in the alley
On her hands and knees
Sidewalk Sally, she knows what she's sellin'
She's shortchanged ya, with apathy
Sidewalk Sally