Levels

Lab

The physics

A galvanometer is a coil with a needle. Its resistance is G. A small current Ig swings it to full scale.

An ammeter: put a small shunt S side by side with the coil. The coil and the shunt share one voltage.

Ig G = (I − Ig) S

A voltmeter: put a big resistor R in line with the coil. At full scale, Ig flows through both.

V = Ig (G + R)

A real voltmeter takes some current, so it reads a little low. A real ammeter adds a little resistance.