Rheostat vs Potentiometer

What is the difference between Rheostat and Potentiometer???

A rheostat is a two terminal variable resistor and a potentiometer is a three terminal variable voltage divider (the volume control is an example). Both can be implemented using a three terminal variable resistor (in the case of the rheostat, only two of the terminals are used -- the wiper, and one of the ends).

An un-utilized variable resistor is often called a "potentiometer" or even a "rheostat" but, technically, it is neither until implemented as one or the other.

Can you tell me the difference in working...??
I mean to say working of both is same???

a potentiometer is usually used for low power application of less than 1 watt although a rheostat can still be used. any application of 1 watt or more a rheostat is recommended.

This is the difference only.....Can anybody eleborate me please......

well there is not much difference in both generally we use rheostat to control high power while potentiometer is used to control low power

please be specific on what you really want.

they may be built with a resistance wire wound around a semicircular insulator, with the wiper sliding from one turn of the wire to the next. Sometimes a rheostat is made from resistance wire wound on a heat-resisting cylinder, with the slider made from a number of metal fingers that grip lightly onto a small portion of the turns of resistance wire. The "fingers" can be moved along the coil of resistance wire by a sliding knob thus changing the "tapping" point. Wire-wound rheostats made with ratings up to several thousand watts are used in applications such as DC motor drives, electric welding controls, or in the controls for generators.want.

where would you apply these devices?

Typically the rheostat is a variable resistance and a potentiometer is a variable voltage divder. Rheostats as Steve said are 2 terminal devices and pots are 3 terminal devices. Rheostats are usually used in power circuits to limit current flow and pots are used to provide a variable voltage not to limit current flow

Thanks all of you.. I got my answer...