Basic Units of Electrical Circuits

The basic components of an electrical circuit are voltage supply, metal wires for the conduction of electric current, and one or more resistors to resist the conduction of electricity. There are two types of current: direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). These are the two types of current that usually flow in an electrical circuit. 

There are different types of units that are involved in the electrical circuits. These are ampere, volt, and unit of resistance. We shall discuss these units and will also find answers for questions such as what is ampere, what are the differences between Amps, Volts, and Watts, and many more.

What is Ampere?

Ampere (A) is a basic SI unit of electric current named after the French mathematician and physicist Andre-Marie Ampere. He is also considered to be the father of electrodynamics. It is defined as the amount of electric charge that passes through a point in an electric circuit in one second. 

One ampere is equal to 6.241 x 1018 electrons passing through a point per one Coulomb per second. 

Definition of amps according to the International System of Units is:

“The ampere is the constant electric current which is maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length with a negligible cross-section which is placed at one meter away from the vacuum to produce force between the conductors equal to 2 x 10-7 N.m-1 length.”

What are Volts?

Volts are the basic unit used for measuring voltage. One volt is defined as the difference in electric potential between two points of a conducting wire when an electric current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power between these points. Volt is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. It is given as:

Volt is also stated as the SI base units as 1V = 1kg.m2.s-3.A-1. According to SI definition, 

“One volt is equal to the potential difference between two parallel and infinite planes placed at 1 meter away to create an electric field of 1N.C-1.”

What is Ohm? 

The symbol used for ohm is Ω and is the unit of electrical resistance in an electric circuit. It is defined as the resistance between two points in a conductor when a constant potential difference of 1 volt is applied to these points to produce 1 ampere current such that the conductor shouldn’t be any source of electromotive force. Ohms is given as:

What is the difference between amps, volts, and watts?

Amp: An ampere is defined as the unit for measuring electricity. It is an accepted standard unit that is used for measuring how quick an electric current flows through the conductor. 

Volt: Volt is the basic unit of electromotive force in the SI and MKS systems of units. It is defined as the electromotive force that causes one-ampere current to flow through a conductor with the resistance of one ohm.

Watt: Watt is the basic unit of electric, mechanical, and thermal power in the SI and MKS system of units. It is defined as one watt is equal to one Joule per second. One watt is equal to one volt-ampere for electric power.

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