Basic Automotive Electrical Concepts

Front

Voltage

Back

Electrical potential difference, measured in volts (V)

Front

Current

Back

Flow of electric charge, measured in amperes (A)

Front

Resistance

Back

Opposition to current flow, measured in ohms (Ω)

Front

Ohm's Law

Back

V = IR (Voltage = Current x Resistance)

Front

Battery

Back

Stores and supplies electrical energy

Front

Alternator

Back

Converts mechanical energy to electrical energy

Front

Fuse

Back

Protects circuit by breaking connection if current is too high

Front

Ground

Back

Reference point in an electrical circuit

Front

Multimeter

Back

Tool to measure voltage, current, and resistance

Front

Circuit Diagram

Back

Visual representation of an electrical circuit