What’s the difference between Amps, Watts and Volts?
What’s the difference between Amps, Watts and Volts?
Answer:
Amps, volts, and watts are three basic concepts in electrical engineering. They are used to describe the flow of electricity through a circuit and the amount of power consumed by an electrical device. Here’s a brief explanation of each term:
Amps (short for amperes) measure the current flowing through a circuit. It is represented by the letter “I” in electrical equations. The unit of measurement for current is amperes (A). In our water analogy, electrical current is equivalent to the flow rate or amount of water flowing through the hose ¹.
Volts measure the voltage or electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit. It is represented by the letter “V” in electrical equations. The unit of measurement for voltage is volts (V). In our water analogy, voltage is equivalent to water pressure ¹.
Watts measure the power consumed by an electrical device. It is represented by the letter “P” in electrical equations. The unit of measurement for power is watts (W). Power is a little harder to explain using the water analogy. With a hose, you can increase the power by either increasing the amount of water coming out or increasing the water’s pressure coming out. In an electrical system, you can increase the power by increasing the current or increasing the voltage ¹.
In summary, amps measure current, volts measure voltage, and watts measure power.