As you learn more and more about the importance of staying energy efficient and reducing your electrical bills, you may find yourself stumbling over a few of the same terms: electricity, energy, and power. But are they interchangeable? The electrical contractors at M.R. Stoner Electric in North Carolina has been proudly serving the state for more than 20 years. Here, they explain the differences between these commonly heard terms. 

Are Electricity, Energy, & Power the Same Thing? Electrical Contractors Explain

Electricity Is a Form of Energy

When you turn on the lights in your home, a mysterious force flows through electrical lines and cables into the bulb. Except this force isn’t such a mystery after all: It’s electricity. As a form of energy, electricity is better defined as the flow of electrons from one point to another. It’s what moves through your cords.

Energy, Defined

However, once electricity reaches that lightbulb, it’s converted to other forms of energy, which actually causes the bulb to light up. This is because energy is the capacity to do the work of turning on a lightbulb. Energy is what makes the change happen, whether it's the acceleration of your car or the heating of your stove.

Power Is Related to Energy

While energy refers to the ability to do a certain type of work, power refers to the speed at which it can be done. In fact, power is commonly known as the rate at which energy is either produced or consumed. For instance, the performances of car engines are often measured in horsepower. While an engine with one horsepower and an engine with 100 horsepower can reach the same goal of getting you to your destination, it’s the vehicle with the larger, more powerful engine that can achieve the objective faster.

Now that you understand the difference between electricity, power, and energy, you can hopefully make the right choices to be more energy efficient. And, if you have any questions or require the help of an electrical contractor, the experts at M.R. Stoner Electric would be happy to help. As compassionate members of the community who regularly participate in charity events, their residential electric service focuses on bringing you the  guidance you need. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to them at (919) 774-8877. You can also find more information online.