Which term refers to the amount of AC that produces the same effect as a given amount of DC?

The term that refers to the amount of alternating current (AC) that produces the same effect as a given amount of direct current (DC) is known as the RMS value, which stands for Root Mean Square.

The RMS value of an AC signal is a crucial concept because it allows us to compare AC and DC in terms of their power and heating effects in a resistive load. For resistive heating applications, the RMS value is equivalent to the direct current signal that would deliver the same power to a load.

When considering a sinusoidal AC waveform, the RMS value is calculated by taking the square of the instantaneous values of the current over one complete cycle, averaging those squared values, and finally taking the square root of that average. This calculation leads to the understanding that the RMS value accounts for the continuous changes in the current's magnitude and frequency.

In contrast to the RMS value, the peak value represents the maximum instantaneous value of the AC waveform and does not provide a direct comparison with DC in terms of power. The instantaneous value reflects the current at a specific moment in time, while the average value can be relevant in certain calculations but is not typically used for this AC to DC comparison since it doesn't accurately represent power delivery in a cycle.