What is the typical unit for electrical energy?

• A. Watt
• B. Volt
• C. Joule (J)
• D. Ampere

Answer: (C)

Electrical energy is measured in joules because energy represents the amount of work electric charges can do as they move through a potential difference. A joule is the unit that captures that amount of energy transferred or work done. In electrical terms, power is the rate at which energy is used or transferred, and the watt is the unit for power (one joule per second). The volt is the unit of electric potential difference, and the ampere is the unit of current; these describe the driving force and the flow, not the total energy itself. For real-world use, electricity is often billed in kilowatt-hours, which is a convenient way to express energy over time (1 kWh equals 3.6 million joules). For example, a 100-watt device running for 1 hour consumes 100 Wh, which is 0.1 kWh or 360,000 joules.