An ampere, often shortened to "amp," is the unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI). It measures the flow of electric charge through a conductor, such as a wire. One ampere is defined as one coulomb of charge passing through a point in a circuit per second. The ampere is named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, who made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism. Understanding amperes is essential for working with electrical systems, as it helps determine how much current is flowing, which is crucial for the safe operation of electrical devices.