How is electrical current measured?

Electrical current is measured in amps, which is short for amperes. Amperes quantify the amount of electric charge flowing through a conductor over a specific period of time. When measuring electrical current, it's important to focus specifically on the flow rate of electrons, which is precisely what amps represent in an electrical circuit.

While volts measure electrical potential difference (the force that pushes electricity through a circuit), watts measure the total power consumed in a circuit, and ohms signify resistance against the flow of current, none of these directly indicate the flow of current itself. Therefore, amps are the appropriate unit for measuring electrical current.