What is voltage and current?

Voltage and current are two basic concepts in electricity.

Voltage (V) is the electrical pressure that pushes electric charges through a circuit. It is measured in volts. You can think of voltage like water pressure in a pipe. The higher the voltage, the stronger the push.

Current (I) is the flow of electric charge through a wire. It is measured in amperes (amps). Using the water example, current is like the amount of water flowing through the pipe.

Electricity moves through a circuit when there is a voltage difference between two points. The voltage pushes electrons through wires, creating current.

There is also a third important concept: resistance (R), which slows down the flow of current. These three values are connected by a rule called Ohm’s Law:

Voltage = Current × Resistance
V = I × R

For example, if voltage increases and resistance stays the same, current will increase.

In summary, voltage is the push, current is the flow, and both work together to power electronic devices.