Units of Current
In this article we are discussing about the units of current. Current is also known as electricity is now everywhere in the world and we use it for most of our day-to-day functions. The most commonly known units of current are ampere, and it is denoted by the letter “A”. This the internation system of units.
It is named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, who made significant contributions to the understanding of electromagnetism. In practical terms, one ampere is equivalent to the flow of one coulomb of charge per second through a conductor. Now, let’s see what the common types of units are used to measure the current.
Ampere (A):
The ampere is the standard unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI). One ampere is defined as one coulomb of charge passing through a conductor per second.
Milliampere (mA):
The milliampere is equal to one thousandth of an ampere. It is often used to measure smaller electric currents, such as those in electronic circuits.
Microampere (μA):
The microampere is one millionth of an ampere. It is used for measuring extremely small currents, particularly in sensitive electronic devices and biomedical applications.
Kiloampere (kA):
The kiloampere is equal to one thousand amperes. It is used in high-power applications such as large electrical systems, industrial machinery, and power distribution.
Megaampere (MA):
The megaampere is equal to one million amperes. This unit is often associated with very high current flows, such as those found in certain industrial processes and experimental setups.
Coulomb per Second (C/s or A):
While coulombs are a unit of electric charge, the flow of one coulomb per second is equivalent to one ampere of current. This unit is less commonly used but is a fundamental expression of current.
Franklin per Second (Fr/s):
The franklin per second is a unit of electric current in the centimeter-gram-second (CGS) system. It is equivalent to approximately 3.336 x 10^(-10) amperes.
Statampere (statA):
The statampere is a unit of electric current in the CGS electrostatic unit system. It is equivalent to approximately 3.3356 x 10^(-10) amperes.
Abampere (abA):
The abampere is a unit of current in the electromagnetic unit system and is approximately equal to 10 amperes.
Gigaampere (GA):
The gigaampere is equal to one billion amperes. It is used in theoretical and astronomical contexts, such as discussions of extremely high currents in astrophysical phenomena.
These units represent various scales of electric current, providing flexibility for expressing currents in a range of applications, from small electronic circuits to massive industrial systems.
