Convert Current from Milliamperes (mA) to other units

What is a Milliampere (mA)?

A milliampere (mA) is a crucial unit used to measure small amounts of electrical current.

Think of electrical current like the flow of water through a pipe. If a large pipe represents an ampere (A)—the standard unit for current—then a milliampere would be the tiny trickle of water flowing through a drinking straw.

It is part of the International System of Units (SI) and is equal to one-thousandth of an ampere.

1 A = 1,000 mA.

How is a Milliampere Defined?

The milliampere is a standard submultiple of the ampere, the base unit for electrical current.

The prefix "milli" signifies one-thousandth (10^-3).

This standardized measurement ensures that engineers, scientists, and technicians worldwide are using consistent values for measuring electricity.

What Are Milliamperes Used For?

Because a milliampere represents a very small amount of current, it is the perfect unit for measuring the power consumption of everyday small electronics.

You'll see mA used to describe the electricity needed for:

• LED lights: The tiny indicator lights on your TV or computer modem.
• Sensors: Components inside devices that detect things like light, motion, or temperature.
• Microcontrollers: The mini-computers that run your smart appliances and other devices.
• Smartphone Batteries: You've likely seen your phone battery capacity listed in milliampere-hours (mAh). This critical unit tells you how much electrical current the battery can provide over a specific period. For example, a 5,000 mAh battery can supply 5,000 milliamperes of current for one hour.