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Multiple conversions
To convert from Ampere (A) to Microampere (μA), use the following formula:
Microampere (μA)
= 106× Ampere (A)
To convert from Ampere (A) to Milliampere (mA), use the following formula:
Milliampere (mA)
= 1000× Ampere (A)
To convert electric current from amperes (A) to kiloamperes (kA), divide by 1,000.
This is a pure SI-prefix shift — kilo always means one thousand — so the conversion is exact in both directions: multiply by 1,000 to go from kA back to A.
A fault-current study calculates a prospective short-circuit current of 18,500 A at a switchboard. Breaker catalogs list interrupting ratings in kA:
A breaker rated 25 kA (= 25,000 A) therefore covers this duty with margin; a 15 kA unit would not.
| A | kA |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0.1 |
| 500 | 0.5 |
| 1,000 | 1 |
| 6,000 | 6 |
| 18,500 | 18.5 |
| 50,000 | 50 |
| 200,000 | 200 |
Everyday electrical work — motor nameplates, cable sizing, fuse selection — stays comfortably in amperes. The kiloampere belongs to the extreme end of the scale, and that is exactly where this conversion matters:
A useful habit when moving between the two: fault currents are usually quoted to one decimal in kA, so carry at least four significant figures in amperes before dividing, or the rounding can hide a rating shortfall.
To convert from Ampere (A) to Megaampere (MA), use the following formula:
Megaampere (MA)
= 1106× Ampere (A)
= 10-6× Ampere (A)
An Ampere, often shortened to "amp" or A, is the standard base unit used to measure electric current.
It's part of the International System of Units (SI), which is the modern form of the metric system.
In practical terms, the Ampere measures the rate of flow of electric charge, or the amount of electrical current.
A common analogy is to compare electricity to water flowing through a pipe. In this scenario, voltage is the water pressure, while the Ampere (or "amp") represents the volume of water flowing past a certain point per second.
A higher amperage means more electrons are flowing.
This is why high-power devices like space heaters, hair dryers, or power tools require a much higher amp rating (e.g., 10-15 amps). In contrast, small devices like LED lights or phone chargers use much less (often 1-2 amps).
While the practical definition is most straightforward, the official scientific definition was updated in 2019.
Today, the Ampere is defined based on the elementary charge (e), which is the electric charge of a single proton. This value is fixed at exactly 1.602176634 × 10-19 Coulombs.
This modern definition ties the Ampere directly to a fundamental constant of nature, ensuring its stability and precision.
An Ampere represents the flow of one Coulomb of charge (approximately 6.242 x 1018 elementary charges) passing a point in one second.
The Ampere is named in honor of André-Marie Ampère (1775-1836), a renowned French physicist and mathematician.
He is widely considered one of the principal founders of the science of electromagnetism, which he termed "electrodynamics."
His most famous contribution is Ampère's circuital law, which mathematically describes the magnetic force between two electrical currents. Naming the unit of current after him recognizes his foundational work in understanding the relationship between electricity and magnetism.