But it increases dramatically if the current going through the wires increases. What this equation tells you is that the power consumed by the wires increases if the resistance of the wires increases (for instance, if the wires get smaller or are made of a less conductive material). P = V*I substituting for V we get P = I*R*I, or P = I 2*R Now you can substitute the equation for V into the other equation: What you need is an equation for power in terms of resistance and current. You can see how this happens by doing a little rearranging of the two equations. The resistance in electrical wires consumes power, and the power consumed increases as the current going through the wires increases. There is an advantage that comes from using less current to make the same amount of power. So, this latter system produces the same power, but with half the current. What would happen if you use a 12-volt battery and a 12-volt light bulb to get 100 watts of power? If you increase the flow rate, the waterwheel turns faster because of the weight of the extra water hitting it. If you increase the pressure of the water coming out of the hose, it hits the waterwheel with a lot more force and the wheel turns faster, generating more power. You can increase the power generated by the waterwheel in two ways. Take a hose and point it at a waterwheel like the ones that were used to turn grinding stones in watermills. In an electrical system power ( P) is equal to the voltage multiplied by the current. This is like decreasing the resistance in an electrical system, which increases the current flow.Įlectrical power is measured in watts. You probably guessed that this also makes more water come out of the hose. Let's say you increase the diameter of the hose and all of the fittings to the tank. The same is true of an electrical system: Increasing the voltage will make more current flow. What happens if you increase the pressure in the tank? You probably can guess that this makes more water come out of the hose. Let's say you have a tank of pressurized water connected to a hose that you are using to water the garden. Let's see how this relation applies to the plumbing system.

Amp to volt