Amperage

Amperage is a quantity in physics for the number of electrons that flow through a specific cross-sectional area of an electric conductor within one second. (You can imagine this as if there was a gate that counts the electrons that pass a specific spot in the conductor). The symbol for amperage is I. The symbol I derives from the word "intensity". Intensity helps do understand that the amperage is high if an especially great number of electrons flow through the cross-sectional area within a certain period of time.
The unit for amperage is ampere (A). Originally, the word comes from the surname of the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, who lived from 1775 – 1836 in France. An amperage of one ampere is reached if 6,24 quintillions (6.240.000.000.000.000.000) electrons have flown through the cross-section within one second!!!
For our human body an amperage of 0.03 A is already dangerous!

If you know the voltage and the electric resistance of a circuit, you can calculate the amperage with the help of this formula:

These models of a conductor help you to understand what a high or a low amperage means. The higher the amperage, the more electrons flow through the conductor within a certain period of time:
High amperage; many electrons per period of time:        

Low amperage; a few electrons per period of time:

Note: In a real conductor the electrons don't move that straightforward; they rather move in a zig-zag-course.

Here are some examples of amperage values in our everyday life:

40W-light bulb	about	0,4 ampere
Torch	up to	0,6 ampere
Toaster	about	5,2 ampere
Oven	up to	12 ampere
Electric locomotives	abaut	150 ampere
Thunderbolt	up to	1.000.000 ampere