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Active Power - This is the power (in watts) used by a device to produce what is known as useful work. (Note: Active Power is also called Input Power)
Amplitude - The maximum absolute value attained by a periodic wave.
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Frequency - For any given unit of time, this would be the number of cycles completed by a periodic wave within that unit. Note: Frequency is most commonly reported in cycles per second (also known as hertz - HZ)
Fundamental - The component of a periodic wave that has the lowest frequency. Note: This is also called the first-order harmonic.
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Harmonic - For a distorted waveform, a component of the wave with a frequency that is an integer multiple of the fundamental.
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Phase Displacement - This is known as the exact extent to which voltage and current waveforms are out of synchronous phase
with one another. Here, the current will either "lead" or "lag" the actual voltage. Phase displacement can be expressed in several
ways, including: as a fraction of the period, as a unit of time, or as an angle in degrees with one period corresponding to 360 degrees.
Note: Phase displacement is zero when both voltage and current are synchronized.
Power Factor - A term used to describe how effectively an electric load converts power into work that is useful.
Power factor (PF) can be calculated using the equation: PF = active power/rms x current
Note: Current distortion and phase displacement are both known to reduce the power factor.
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Reactive Power - This is a form of power that creates no useful work and can be calculated using the following equation:
reactive power = V x A x sin0
where 0 is the phase displacement angle.
Note: This will result when the current is not in phase with the voltage.
Root-mean-square (rms) - Known as the effective average value of a periodic quantity such as an alternating current or voltage wave.
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Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) - This is the ratio of a wave's harmonic content (for voltage or current) to
it's fundamental component. Note: This is expressed as a percentage and is also called the "harmonic factor"
Transients - A momentary voltage surge for an alternating current. Note: This surge is often at amplitudes between 10 and 20 times the normal voltage.
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