Electric Terms

Read our common Electric Terms

Though most of us use electricity on a daily basis, it can be a difficult concept  to fully understand. We’ve all heard of such electric terms as watt, volt, and amp, but what do they really mean? Below are a few electric terms you should know in order to:

• - fully grasp the concept of electricity;


• - understand ways to lower your monthly electric bill;


• - learn how to save money and the environment by measuring electric use.

Electricity is a type of energy created by electrons moving along a circuit.

Electric Power is the rate at which electricity is generated or used.

Voltage is the pressure that pushes electrons through a circuit.

Electric Current is when electrons flow between two points that have different voltages.

Amps measure the amount of electric current.

Ohms measure electric resistance, or the slowing of electrons.

Watt (W) is the rate of electric generation/use at a single moment in time (e.g. one second).

Watt-hour (Wh) is a measure of total electrical energy use over a time period (e.g. one hour).

To understand how these electric terms relate to one another, let’s compare them to water flowing through a hose. When you turn the faucet on, it supplies force (voltage). Once on, there is a certain amount of water that runs through the hose (amps). To wash your car, you’d use more water at a faster rate (more watts); to simply refill a cup of water, you’d use less water at a slower rate (less watts).

Now let’s take a look at kilowatts and megawatts. Understanding these concepts will help you learn how to measure electricity, save money, and lower your electric bill!

To learn more energy savings tips for your home, go to our learning center.