Ampere

Information on Ampere Last Updated: 12.13.07

Is the full version of a word you may be more familiar with: “AMP”. An Ampere or AMP is a unit of measure of electrical current named for Andre Marie Ampere, generally recognized as the father of electromagnetism. Without getting into a physics lesson an AMP tells you how much power is being drawn through a cable or by an electrical device. A device that draws 10 AMPS requires twice as much power as one that draw 5 AMPS, and thus needs bigger and thicker cables or wires.