Electrical power is measured in watts (W) and is calculated by multiplying the voltage (V) applied to a circuit by the resulting current (I) that flows in the circuit: P = IV. In addition to measuring production capacity, power also measures the rate of energy consumption and many loads are rated for their consumption capacity. For example, a 60W lightbulb utilizes 60W of energy to produce the equivalent of 60W of heat and light energy.

A diode allows current to pass easily in one direction and blocks current in the other direction.

Fuses are thin wires that melt when the current in a circuit exceeds a preset amount. They help prevent short circuits from damaging circuit components when an unusually large current is applied to the circuit, either through component failure or spikes in applied voltage.

An amplifier is a device that takes a small input signal and creates a larger output signal. This makes it most similar to a step-up transformer which takes a smaller input voltage and creates a larger output voltage.

All conductors have resistance and the amount of resistance varies with the element. In general, metals make the best conductors of electricity and non-metals make the worst conductors of electricity.