The water analogy is the simplest way of understanding volts and amps=20
(and with a little creativity, inductance and capacitance)
The short version,
volts =3D water pressure, how much work each unit of water can do, IE one=20
litre of water coming out a 3000PSI pressure washer will clean more than=20
1L out of a hose.

amps =3D water volume, how many litres per second are going past a point.

You can imagine a battery as a centrifugal water pump, It will supply a=20
fixed water pressure with whatever flow rate you desire (your unlimited=20
amps 9v battery), note, blocking the output of the pump means the=20
pressure (voltage) will remain the same, but the flow (amps) will be zero.

Your load is say a water wheel and you have a variable resistor/pot=20
(tap? valve?) in line with it.

So your water circuit is pump > valve > water wheel > back to pump.
This is the electrical equivalent of battery > pot > light bulb > back=20
to battery.

The short version of it is, regardless of how many litres per second=20
your pump can supply, only the amount that will fit through the pot and=20
water wheel will actually flow.


On 22/10/13 23:21, Lindy Mayfield wrote:
> I've spent years, on and off, trying to understand what volts means and w=
hat watts or amps or current means.  Literally since I first opened a book =
about electronics when I was small.
>
> I may perhaps be close.
>
> Given matter to energy conversion rules and laws, and adhering to all kno=
wn laws of physics...
>
> What if I had a 9 volt battery that could easily supply all the power nec=
essary to my home for 1 year.  Or power a small neighborhood for a day no m=
atter what  the energy consumption...
>
> This would be indeed an efficient chemical battery, but given the right t=
echnology, it could be done,  no?
>
> Given that:  Could I plug that same 9 volt battery into  something small,=
 like a TV remote control, or a hand-held radio?  In place of a 9v battery =
that I can buy today?  Without any changes to resistors, capacitors, transi=
stors?  No changes to the circuits?
>
> And further, could that same 9 volt battery be used anywhere a battery is=
 required, a car starter, a toy, an electric wheel chair, an electric train=
 normally powered by a diesel?  Assuming that in some cases the voltage wil=
l need to be changed?
>
> It's probably painfully obvious those are my questions, not any out of a =
book or for a class.  :)
>
> Thanks!
> Lindy
>
>

--=20
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