How should the shunt used in an ammeter be...

How should the shunt used in an ammeter be connected?

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🔍 Key Concepts

• Ammeter basics – an ammeter is designed to measure current through a load, not voltage across it • Shunt resistor function – a shunt carries most of the current so the delicate meter movement only carries a small portion • Series vs. parallel connections – think about what series does to current and what parallel does to current paths

💭 Think About

• If the ammeter is supposed to measure the current flowing in the load, where must the overall ammeter assembly be placed: in series or in parallel with the load? • The shunt is used to bypass most of the current around the sensitive meter movement. With respect to the meter movement itself (not the load), should the shunt give the current an alternate path (parallel) or force all current through one path (series)? • Which combination lets the meter movement see only a fraction of the total current, while the total circuit current still flows properly through the load?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on the difference between connections relative to the load versus relative to the meter movement – these are not the same thing. • Verify that in your chosen option, the total circuit current still flows through the load as required for normal operation. • Check that the shunt’s position would actually protect the meter movement by diverting most of the current away from it.

🔍 Key Concepts

💭 Think About

✅ Before You Answer