What is the purpose of a shunt as used with...

What is the purpose of a shunt as used with...

Question 1 of 27070x6gpFIfnei9Nqpundduq

What is the purpose of a shunt as used with an ammeter?

Question 1 of 27070

Q

What is the purpose of a shunt as used with an ammeter?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Ammeter is used to measure current and is normally placed in series in a circuit • Shunt resistor is a low-resistance path connected in parallel with the ammeter • Relationship between current, resistance, and meter range (Ohm’s Law and current division)

💭 Think About

• If too much current flows through a sensitive ammeter movement, what could happen? How could a parallel path help protect the meter? • When you add a low-resistance shunt in parallel with the meter, does more current go through the meter or through the shunt? How does that affect the maximum current you can measure? • Think about whether a shunt makes the meter suitable for larger or smaller currents.

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm that a shunt is connected in parallel, not in series, with the meter movement • Consider whether the shunt’s low resistance route carries most of the current while the meter only measures a fraction • Check which option mentions changing (expanding or reducing) the measuring range in a way that matches how a parallel low‑resistance path would behave