Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

07:51
Method for Recording Broadband High Resolution Emission Spectra of Laboratory Lightning Arcs
Published on: August 27, 2019
Power and energy measurements of transient electric discharge
1Department of Aeronautics, University of Tokyo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering II, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|August 1, 1978
Abstract:
A simple and inexpensive calculating device for electrical power and energy of transient electric discharges is described. The calculation is made by multiplication of the voltage and current of the discharge by use of wideband integrated circuits.
Related Concept Videos
Instantaneous Power
Instantaneous power is important in electrical circuits, mainly when dealing with sinusoidal input. Instantaneous power, denoted as p(t), results from the multiplication of the instantaneous voltage (v(t)) across an element and the instantaneous current (i(t)) flowing through it. This relationship adheres to the passive sign convention and represents a fundamental principle in electrical engineering.
Power and Energy
The power and energy delivered to an element are subjects of great significance in the field of electrical engineering. It is a well-known fact that a 100-watt light bulb emits more light than a 60-watt one. Therefore, power and energy calculations play a crucial role in the analysis of electrical circuits.
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
Energy and Power Signals
In an electrical system with a resistor, voltage and current signals facilitate the measurement of power and energy across the resistor. For a continuous-time signal, the total energy over a time interval is defined as the integral of the square of the signal's magnitude over that interval. Mathematically, this is expressed as:
Electrical Power
Electric power is the product of current and voltage, represented in units of joules per second, or watts. For example, cars often have one or more auxiliary power outlets with which you can charge a cell phone or other electronic devices. These outlets may be rated at 20 amps and 12 volts, so that the circuit can deliver a maximum power of 240 watts. Consider a 25 Watt bulb and a 60 Watt bulb. The conversion of electrical energy produces heat and light, while the kinetic energy lost by the...
Energy Stored in a Capacitor: Problem Solving
In 1749, Benjamin Franklin coined the word battery for a series of capacitors connected to store energy. Capacitors store electric potential energy that can be released over a short time. This property means capacitors have a wide range of applications.
Capacitor-discharge ignition is a type of ignition system commonly found in small engines where the energy released from a capacitor ignites an induction coil that, in turn, fires the spark plug.
To calculate the energy stored in a capacitor of...
Capacitor-discharge ignition is a type of ignition system commonly found in small engines where the energy released from a capacitor ignites an induction coil that, in turn, fires the spark plug.
To calculate the energy stored in a capacitor of...
Finding Electric Potential From Electric Field
For a system of charges, it is easy to calculate the system's potential because potential is a scalar quantity. However, in some instances where calculating the electric field is more straightforward than finding the potential, the electric field is used to calculate the system's potential. For a positive charge, the electric field is radially outward, and the potential is positive at any finite distance from the positive charge. In such an electric field, the motion away from the positive...

