What is the Difference between an Amp, Volt, and Watt?

Although we can't necessarily see electricity, we can measure it by its effects. An ampere, or amp, represents the amount of current in a circuit. Voltage is defined scientifically as the circuit's "potential difference," and can be seen as the amount of "pressure" that drives electricity in a circuit. Watts are a measure of the use of electrical power, and one watt is equal to one volt multiplied by one amp. In this case it is helpful to use an analogy to help us understand how each of these terms relate to each other. One commonly used analogy is that of the garden hose. The water pressure in the hose is like the voltage, and the amp value is like the volume of water flowing through the hose. The wattage, then, is the total amount of water that comes out of the hose, per unit of time. If we replace the hose in the above analogy with an electrical wire, it is simple to see how they relate. In an electrical circuit, the voltage may be 120, as it is in most electrical outlets in the ...  more