voltage vs. current

Thread Starter

joshwhitesub

Joined Jan 19, 2010
9
hey i have another question, i dont understand the difference between current (amps) and volts, i read and understand what each one is by definition, but i dont understand why you would want one or the other, like when you double voltage, and cut the amps by half, why would you do that, or cut the voltage down half, and double the amps, why would you do either, whats the pros and cons of each?
 

BillB3857

Joined Feb 28, 2009
2,570
The situations you talk about are maintaining Power (Watts). In power transmission, by raising the voltage, the same amount of power can be delivered at the far end with lower current. That means smaller wires. AC is used so voltage can be raised or lowered as need with transformers with minimal loss. Voltage can be thought of as being similar to pressure. The water pressure in your house is there whether or not you have a faucet open. Current can be thought of as being similar to the volume of water flowing when you open a faucet. After you understand those concepts, more things come into play such as resistance, and for AC circuits, inductance and capacitance, which will have an effect on current and the degree will depend upon another concept called frequency. Best way to learn is to understand the DC concepts first, then move on to AC.
 
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