Volts, amps, and watts measure electricity. Volts measure the "pressure" under which electricity flows. Amps measure the flow or amount of electrons that go past a particular point each second. Watts measure the amount of work done by a certain amount of current or flow rate at a certain pressure or voltage.
To understand how volts, amps and watts are related, think of water in a pipe:
· The water in the pipe has a pressure (voltage) and a flow rate (current).
· Turning on the tap is like turning on a switch - it lets the electrical pressure push electrons through an appliance - just like water being pushed through a pipe.
· You would use lots of water - that comes out really hard (like a lot of watts) - to wash off a muddy car. You would use less water that comes out more slowly - (like less watts) - to fill a glass.
Electricity is not free. To get it into your home and schools costs money. Not everyone uses the same amount. Large families might tend to use a lot of electricity. Small families would use less.
To ensure that EnergyAustralia charges the right amount for its electricity, electrical retailers like EnergyAustralia read the electricity meter in your home or school.
This is usually located on a wall outside your house and an EnergyAustralia person will come out to read it. Your electricity meter is usually read every three months.
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