Can I use my camera charger to charge my ipod? Question about volts/amps..

My camera has a charger that plugs into the wall and the USB cable that's used for the computer plugs into that to charge the camera. Can I use this charger while plugging in my ipod adapter? I'm asking because someone said the average USB port is 500mA but the camera plug adapter is 5v 1A. Will this burn up the ipod? I'm not sure how the amps/mA work. Thanks in advance.

Comments

[Jack A Lopez]

The short answer is, "Yes, it will work."

The long answer is that usually such a power supply is assumed to be a constant voltage (e.g. 5.0 volts) source, and the amount of current that flows depends on the resistance offered by the load.  E.g. when nothing is attached to the supply, no current flows.   When the supply is shorted, a maximum amount of current flows.   The point is that the amount of current which flows through the load, is something the load "decides".  It depends on how "hungry" it is.  A power-hungry device will "draw" more current than a less power-hungry one. And again, no device at all, an "open" circuit will draw zero current.

Power supplies are rated at the maximum current they can comfortably supply, without excessive voltage-drop, heat, etc.  Your plug-in 5V supply is rated at a maximum of 1A = 1000 mA, or at least it claims to be.  The ipod will only draw as much current as it wants/needs, probably only  a few hundred mA. 

For a more technical explanation, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_load

[GrizzlyWizzly]

Ahh, I see thank you Jack. That clears things up a little bit. So, if I'm reading correctly, even though it supplies 1A, anything plugged in will only use what it needs. (If something requires more it would use it all and need more.) Thanks again!

[nepheron]

 5 volts, 1 amp will work fine!
500 Ma = .5 amps.
Most ipod chargers actually put out 1 amp, so it's not a big deal.