What is a watt-hour used to measure?

A watt-hour is a measure of energy consumption over time, specifically indicating how much power is used when one watt of power is consumed for one hour. This measurement is commonly applied in household energy consumption, as it allows consumers to understand how much electrical energy is being used by devices over time.

For example, if a light bulb rated at 60 watts is used for 10 hours, it will consume 600 watt-hours (60 watts multiplied by 10 hours). This metric is crucial for utility companies, as it helps in determining energy billing for residential consumers.

In contrast, the other concepts—voltage, frequency, and resistance—are different electrical parameters concerned with distinct aspects of electrical systems. Voltage is a measure of electrical potential, frequency pertains to the rate of oscillation of an electrical signal, and resistance refers to how much a material opposes the flow of electric current. Therefore, a watt-hour specifically relates to energy consumption and is not applicable to those other measurements in electrical systems.