What units are used to measure electrical current?

• A. Amperes
• B. Volts
• C. Ohms
• D. Watts

Answer: (A)

Electric current is the flow of electric charges and is measured in amperes, which tell you how much charge passes a point each second. One ampere equals one coulomb per second, and the symbol is A. The ammeter in a circuit reads current in amperes. Other terms describe different quantities: volts measure electrical potential difference (the pressure pushing charges), ohms measure resistance (how much a component resists current), and watts measure power (the rate of energy transfer). The relationship P = V × I links these quantities, and Ohm's law I = V / R links current to voltage and resistance. So for measuring how much current is flowing, amperes are the appropriate unit. For example, a small device might draw a few milliamperes, while household circuits carry amperes.