🔍 Key Concepts

• Voltmeter connection method in a circuit (series vs. parallel) • How meter range selection protects both the meter and the user • What happens if the selected range is too low for the actual circuit voltage

💭 Think About

• If you have no idea what voltage to expect, which range choice is safest for the meter and least likely to damage it? • Think about how a voltmeter is normally connected into a circuit: does it go in series interrupting the current path, or across (parallel to) the component? • What could happen to the meter or its fuse if you picked too small a range and the actual voltage was much higher?

✅ Before You Answer

• Remember that voltmeters are designed to be connected in parallel, not in series, with the circuit element being measured. • Check which choice best avoids overloading or damaging the meter when the circuit voltage is unknown. • Eliminate any option that would be unsafe or clearly not standard practice for using a voltmeter.