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Summary

Key points

  • Electric power is the amount of electrical energy converted into other forms of energy in one second.
  • Power is measured in watts, W.
  • Electrical energy is measured in joules.
  • 1 watt = 1 joule per second.
  • A joule is too small a unit of energy for household electricity, so the unit used for household electrical energy is the kilowatt-hour, kWh.
  • The cost of the electricity used is calculated using this equation: total cost = energy in kWh Ă— cost per unit.
  • Higher tier only: Energy in kWh = power rating in kW x time in hours.
  • Higher tier only: When using this equation it is important to remember that:
    • the power must be in kW;
    • 1 kW = 1000 W;
    • the time must be in hours.

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