Because nothing has to pass through the meter. The voltmeter is only
measuring the DIFFERENCE in electric potential between two points.
Parallel
Usually a volt meter is placed across a component to measure the voltage drop across that component. Doing this places the volt meter resistance in parallel with that component's resistance, which will always lower the total resistance. Since the volt meter resistance is usually very large relative to the resistance of the element being measured, the total resistance does not change significantly. The formula for total resistance of two parallel elements is: Rtot = (R1*R2)/(R1+R2), as R1 (the volt meter) >> R2, Rtot ~= (R1*R2) / (R1) = R2 If a volt meter is placed into a circuit instead of around an element of that circuit, it will raise the resistance of the circuit, load the circuit with, and interrupt "normal" operation of the circuit (normal operation = how things would be without the meter in place). More importantly, the volt meter would then be measuring the voltage developped across itself (instead of an element of the circuit), which is not the point of this tool / this would be a misapplication of a volt meter.
A volt meter will do the job.
by a volt meter / ameter
An inline volt meter is designed to have the voltage pass through it. The wire has to be cut or otherwise disconnected, and the meter installed between the disconnected ends of the wiring.
It depends on what you want to monitor. Most commonly the volt meter is connected in parallel with the battery or the alternator.
Yes. The voltage across every branch of a parallel circuit is the same. (It may not be the supply voltage, if there's another component between the power supply and either or both ends of the parallel circuit.)
If you charge four 50v capacitors in parallel then remove the 50v battery and hook them up to a volt meter the meter will indicate 50v.
A volt meter is use to measure the voltage of the circuit.
See discuss.
Voltage across all parallel capacitor's is same i.e. it is equal to supply voltage, it can be measured using digital volt meter (any high input impedance volt meter). When capacitors are in series; voltage drop depends on charge stored in the capacitor. it can be given by the formula V x V = 2 / (joules x capacitance). This voltage can also be measured using digital volt meter.
The essential difference between a series circuit and a parallel circuit is the way in which the components are physically connected. In a series circuit there is just a single path that electricity can take, whereas in a parallel circuit there are two or more different paths.