The circuit includes an energy source (a battery, for instance) that produces voltage. The strength of that field is directly proportional to the amount of current flowing.Įlectrons flow through a conductor (typically a metal wire, usually copper) when two prerequisites of an electric circuit are met:ġ. In formulas such as Ohm's Law, current is also represented by I (for intensity).Īmps are named for French mathematician/physicist Andrè-Marie Ampére (1775-1836), credited for proving:Ī magnetic field is generated around a conductor as current passes through it. ΜA = microamperes, a millionth of an amp (0.000001). MA = milliamperes, a thousandth of an amp (0.001). ![]() The calculation is similar to measuring water flow: how many gallons pass a single point in a pipe in 1 minute (gallons per minute, or GPM).Ī = amperes, for a large amount of current (1.000). ![]() ![]() It expresses the quantity of electrons (sometimes called "electrical charge") flowing past a point in a circuit over a given time.Ī current of 1 ampere means that 1 coulomb of electrons-that's 6.24 billion billion (6.24 x 1018) electrons-is moving past a single point in a circuit in 1 second. ![]() At its most basic,Īn ampere, or amp, is the international unit used for measuring current. Current is the rate at which electrons flow past a point in a complete electrical circuit.
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