What are the units of electric current?

The units of electric current are Amperes (A).

Electric current is a fundamental concept in physics, particularly in the study of electricity and magnetism. It is measured in Amperes, often shortened to 'A'. The Ampere is a standard unit in the International System of Units (SI), which is the modern form of the metric system. It is named after André-Marie Ampère, a French physicist and mathematician who made significant contributions to the theory of electromagnetism.

Electric current refers to the flow of electric charge. In a wire, this charge is carried by tiny particles called electrons. When these electrons move, they create an electric current. The Ampere is defined as one coulomb of charge passing a point in one second. In other words, if one coulomb of electric charge flows through a wire in one second, the current in that wire is one Ampere.

It's important to note that electric current can be either direct or alternating. Direct current (DC) flows in one direction only, while alternating current (AC) changes direction periodically. Regardless of the type of current, it is still measured in Amperes.

In practical terms, the Ampere is quite a large unit. For example, a typical smartphone charger might supply a current of around one or two Amperes. On the other hand, the current in a lightning bolt can be as much as 20,000 Amperes! So, when dealing with smaller currents, we often use subunits like the milliampere (mA) and microampere (µA).

In summary, the Ampere is the standard unit of electric current. It represents the flow of electric charge, and is a fundamental part of our understanding of electricity and magnetism.