Volt-Ampere to Milliwatt Converter

Volt-ampere (VA) is a unit of apparent power in AC electrical systems, representing the product of voltage and current. It differs from watts (real power) in AC systems where voltage and current may not be in phase.

Volt-ampere became important with the development of AC electrical systems, where the distinction between apparent power and real power became crucial. It provided a way to specify the total power capacity of AC electrical equipment regardless of power factor.

Volt-amperes are used for AC electrical equipment ratings, transformer specifications, and electrical system design. They're standard for UPS ratings, transformer capacity, and AC electrical equipment where apparent power is more relevant than real power.

A milliwatt (mW) is a unit of power equal to one thousandth of a watt (0.001 W). It represents very small amounts of power typically found in electronic devices, sensors, and low-power applications.

The milliwatt became important with the development of electronics and semiconductor technology. It provided an appropriate scale for describing the power consumption of transistors, integrated circuits, and electronic devices where power efficiency was crucial.

Milliwatts are used in electronics for component power ratings, laser output specifications, radio frequency applications, and low-power device design. They're standard for electronic component specifications, sensor power consumption, and precision instruments.