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Introduction • Electrons • Conductors • Insulators • Voltage • Current • Resistance • Ohm's Law • Resistance and Resistors • Series Circuits • Parallel Circuits • Series-Parallel Circuits • Power • Alternating Current • Frequency • Useful Terms
Current
As you have learned, electron flow is commonly known as current. The more voltage, or pressure, that is present in an electrical circuit, the more electrons that will flow.
Since even a small appliance requires a huge number of electrons to make it operate, a unit of measurement, the ampere or amp was devised. One amp represents 6,240,000,000,000,000,000 electrons passing by a given point in one second (6.24 X 1018)!
An amp indicates a rate of current flow, since both quantity and time are taken into consideration.
On a practical level, the fuses or circuit breakers in your house are rated in amperes. This is an indication of the rate of current flow that will blow the fuse or trip the circuit breaker.
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