What in = what out?

[NEPABREWER]

is there some reference for brewing that explains what each ingredient does and what more might do to tweak the recipe? I know this is highly subjective material, but what I would like to know is what exactly will putting extra malt extract in the boil do to a recipe?
I know hops = bitter, aroma etc. what does extra malt extract do, other additives like dextrose, maltose? I know malt is supposed to equal flavor/ strength, but also 'beer flavor'
does more malt hence more sugar make more alchohol or is that depemdant upon other factors like yeasts capacity to convert sugars and such? Is my question clear/ Damn - I was out sampling beers at the local gastropub and fear that my question may be a bit cloudy now.

 

[brewhead]

http://byo.com/referenceguide/grains/

pretty decent run down as to what does what

 

[NEPABREWER]

Great Thanks - Now maybe you could answer this. If carmel wheat malt has a 1lb/1 gal. gravity of 1.035 what would the likely results be from using a 1.5lb/1gal. or 2.0lbs/1gal. ratio be, not so much in gravity, but in flavor, charecter, etc. Thanks Gents.