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A voltmeter is designed to operate like a very large resistor (order of megaOhms), in parallel to the circuit that it is measuring. As long as the voltmeter resistance is much larger than the circuit that it is measuring, it will draw very little current away from the circuit and will only minimally disturb the operating circuit. See related link. If the voltmeter is connected in series with the rest of the circuit, then that is the same as connecting a very large resistor in series.

So for example if you have 10 volt battery and a 10 ohm resistor, that would be 1 amp (without the voltmeter). Now if the voltmeter is 10 megaohm, the total resistance is 10000010 ohms, so the current is 0.999999 microamperes, and the voltage across the 10 ohm resistor is 9.99999 microvolts, while the voltage across the voltmeter is 9.999990 Volts (these numbers are rounded, but you get the idea).

Suppose you put in series with a 1 kiloOhm (not sure about that spelling) resistor. The total resistance is 10001000 ohms, and current is 0.99990 microamperes, the voltage across resistor is now 0.9999 millivolts (it was microvolts) and the voltage across the voltmeter is 9.9990001 volts

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Related Questions

Can a short-circuit be detected by voltmeter?

yes, voltmeter drops to zero as current increases to maximum


How can you say that ammeter measures current and voltmeter measures voltage?

voltmeter in parallel and ammeter in series of a circuit.


Why is a voltmeter connected in parallel?

A voltmeter is connected in parallel because it measures the voltage across a component or circuit without affecting the flow of current through it. This allows for an accurate reading of the voltage without disrupting the circuit's operation.


Why is a voltmeter connected in parallel in an electrical circuit?

A voltmeter is connected in parallel in an electrical circuit to measure the voltage across a specific component or part of the circuit without affecting the flow of current through the circuit.


Why does voltmeter practically not consume any electric energy from the electric circuit?

A voltmeter has a very high resistance, allowing only a small amount of current to pass through it when measuring voltage. This current is negligible compared to the current flowing through the circuit being measured, so the voltmeter does not significantly affect the circuit or consume much power.


How do you connect a voltmeter in parallel circuit?

To measure voltage in a parallel circuit, connect the voltmeter's probes across the component for which you want to measure the voltage. Ensure the positive probe of the voltmeter is connected to the positive side of the component and the negative probe to the negative side. The voltmeter will then display the voltage across that component.


What is the function of a voltmeter in an electrical circuit?

To measure Voltage which is the force pushing current :)


What is a voltmeter and what does it measure?

A voltmeter is a device used to measure the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit. It measures voltage, which is the force that pushes electric current through a circuit.


Why ammeter connects in series and voltmeter in parallel in electric circuit?

Because the ammeter measures the current flowing THROUGH the wire, butthe voltmeter only measures the potential difference between two points.


What happened to the reading of ammeter and voltmeter if the number of dry cells are added in the circuit?

Well, isn't that just a happy little question! When you add more dry cells to a circuit, the ammeter will show a higher reading because there is more current flowing through the circuit. The voltmeter reading will also increase because the total voltage of the circuit will be higher with the addition of more dry cells. Just remember to always paint with light and electricity in your circuits, my friend!


What is the ideal voltmeter high or low?

Ideal Voltmeter has an infinite resistance so it won't draw current from the circuit, but in real life ideal voltmeter doesn't exist.


How can a voltmeter be connected in a circuit, either in series or parallel, to measure the voltage across a component accurately?

A voltmeter can be connected in parallel to measure the voltage across a component accurately. This means connecting the voltmeter in a separate branch of the circuit, directly across the component being measured. This allows the voltmeter to measure the voltage without affecting the current flow in the circuit.