To better understand the difference between watts, amps, volts and ohms you need to understand the basics of electricity. Electrical power is measured in watts which is equal to the voltage multiplied by the current. Electricity has three basic units: voltage, current and resistance. The three are each measured differently. Voltage is measured in volts, current is measured in amps, and resistance is measured in ohms. The following is the equation that demonstrates how they all relate:
Current (amps) = voltage (volts) / resistance (ohms)
Watts = voltage (volts) x current (amps)
One way to understand the basics of electricity is to view watts, volts, amps and ohms as if they work the same way as a water hose. Amps represent the rate of water as it flows through the hose, while volts represent the strength of the flow, and the watts represent the total amount of water that comes out of the hose per second.
An amp, or ampere, refers to the amount of electrons that are flowing per second through something that conducts electricity. An amp is the measure of current in an electrical circuit. Voltage is the strength of the current as it flows through the circuit. The total electrical power released by circuit per second is named watts.
