In this chapter, you will learn to: / calculate electrical power / understand how electricity companies calculate household bills using the kilowatt-hour (kWh) / use electricity more efficiently and sustainably.
Electrical power Power is the rate at which work is done or energy is converted.
power = work time
The SI unit of power is the watt (W).
For the appliances in our homes to be useful, the electrical energy supplied to them must be converted into other forms. For example, the electricity supplied to a hairdryer has to be converted into heat energy and kinetic wind energy in order to dry hair.
Electrical power is the amount of electrical energy that is converted into another form of energy per second. The more power an appliance has, the more electrical energy it can convert into another form of energy every second. For example, a 3000 W kettle boils water twice as fast as a 1500 W kettle because it has twice the power.
:Fig. 32.1 The power rating label on a kettle
A power rating is commonly displayed on an appliance with a sticker to show how much electricity it uses.
Eureka
James Watt (1736–1819) was a Scottish engineer and chemist who investigated mechanics and heat. His inventions made the steam engine more powerful and energy efficient, which became the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. The watt, the SI unit of power, is named after him.