Update: I am actually searching for really simple, intuitive ways to explain it. I have a background in engineering, but am struggling to explain why we “pay for kwh”, and not kw (on our electricity bill) to someone who doesn’t. I have tried in many ways but maybe I’m not giving the right examples or making the right comparisons. I am really searchig for a way to ELI5.
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Everyone’s answers are correct but they miss the point of why kW are confusing.
It’s confusing because kW is a rate, and we are used to rates being expressed in units per time. Dollars per hour. Miles per hour. The multiple the rate by the amount of time the rate applies for and you get the total quantity of dollars paid or miles traveled.
kW is a rate but the ‘per time’ is built in.
kW are “kWh per hour”.
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