Electricity
Electricity the form of energy (the ability to do work) that results from charged particles (electrons, protons).
Measures of Electricity
Stored Electricity: Voltage and Volts
Stored electricity is called voltage and is measured in volts. More precisely, voltage is the difference in electric potential energy between two points.
One volt is equal to 1 joule (, see physics) per 1 coulomb (), or . A coulomb is a quantity of electrical charge, approximately equal to elementary charges (i.e. electrons).
Another way to put it is, a volt is the amount of electricity required to accelerate 1kg by 1 meter per second squared (a joule) for 1 second (resulting in a displacement of ), divided by the quantity of electrical charges (coulombs). In other words, a volt is "how much work can be done per coulomb".
Flowing Electricity: Current and Amperes (amps)
Current () is the "flow" of electricity, measured in amperes or "amps" (). One amp is equal to one coulomb () passing a given point in a circuit over one second (), or .
Solving for , we can get a mathematical definition of coulomb: .
Working Electricity: Power and Watts
Power () is amount of work (energy transfer), measured in watts. One watt is equal to 1 joule per second, or . Power can be derived from current and voltage through watts law, which states .
Relationships between Volts, Amps, Ohms, and Watts
Ohm's Law and Watt's Law describe the relationship between volts, amps, ohms and watts as and , respectively.
Deeper Knowledge on Electricity
Electrical Engineering
Build and deconstruct electrically powered devices
Ohm's Law
A formula for determining voltage, current, and resistance
Watt's Law (Power Law)
A formula to define the relationship between power, voltage, and current (P=IV)
Broader Topics Related to Electricity
Physics
The fundamental nature and properties of matter, energy, and motion