Active Power
active power
[′ak·tiv ′pau̇·ər]Active Power
the average value over time of the instantaneous power of alternating current. The active power P depends on the acting values of the voltage V and the strength of the current I and on the cosine ϕ, where ϕ is the angle of phase displacement between V and I. In an electric circuit of a single-phase alternating current (sinoid), P = VI cos ϕ (for a three-phase current, P = VI cos ϕ ). The effective value can also be expressed through the strength of the current, the voltage and the active component resistance of the circuit r or its conductivity g according to the formula P = I2 x r = V2 x g. In any electric circuit of sinoidal or nonsinoidal current, the active power of the entire circuit is equal to the sum of the active power of the individual sections of the circuit. The relation between the active power and the full power S is expressed in the equation P = S cos ϕ. The unit of measurement of active power is the watt.