Which equation is used for calculating power in an electrical circuit?

The equation used for calculating power in an electrical circuit is P = IV, where P represents power in watts, I represents current in amperes, and V represents voltage in volts. This relationship shows that power is the product of current and voltage, meaning that if either the current flowing through the circuit or the voltage across the circuit increases, the power consumed will also increase proportionally.

This equation arises from the definitions of voltage and current. Voltage is the potential difference that drives current through a circuit, and when you multiply the current (the flow of charge) by the voltage (the force that pushes the charge), you get the total amount of energy used per unit time, which is power.

The other equations, while related to electrical circuits, describe different relationships or concepts. For instance, P = V/R describes the relationship between power, voltage, and resistance, and applies specifically under Ohm's law where current is equal to voltage divided by resistance. However, this is not the primary equation for calculating power directly. Similarly, P = I/R ignores the effect of voltage, leading to confusion regarding the core concept of power. Finally, P = VR is also misleading because it does not correctly represent the relationship derived from the power in the context of electrical