Which term characterizes the rate of performing electrical work per unit time?

• A. Overload
• B. Power
• C. Permeability
• D. Pole

Answer: (B)

Power is the rate at which electrical work is done or energy is transferred per unit time. In circuits, it’s defined by P = VI, so the faster energy is delivered or converted, the higher the power. For a resistor, power can also be written as P = I^2R or P = V^2/R, linking power to current, voltage, and resistance. The unit of power is the watt, which means one joule of energy per second. So the term that characterizes how quickly electrical energy is doing work is power. The other terms don’t describe this rate: overload refers to exceeding a circuit’s capacity, permeability is about how a material conducts magnetic fields, and pole describes a magnetic or electrical fixed point.