What term describes the rate at which electrical energy is consumed?

The term that describes the rate at which electrical energy is consumed is power. Power is defined as the amount of energy transferred or converted per unit time, and it is typically measured in watts. In an electrical context, power can be calculated using the formula ( P = V \times I ), where ( P ) is power in watts, ( V ) is voltage in volts, and ( I ) is current in amperes. This signifies that power is directly related to both voltage and current, indicating how energy is used in a circuit.

When assessing the other concepts, voltage represents the electric potential difference between two points in a circuit, while resistance quantifies how much a material opposes the flow of electric current. Current is the flow of electric charge through a conductor, measured in amperes. While all these terms are fundamental to understanding electrical circuits, they do not directly define the rate of energy consumption, which is specifically characterized by power.