Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store

Difference Between Ammeter and Galvanometer for JEE Main 2024

ffImage
hightlight icon
highlight icon
highlight icon
share icon
copy icon
SearchIcon

Galvanometer and Ammeter Difference

An ammeter is an instrument which is measuring and is used to measure the circuit's current. The current which is electrical is measured in ampere denoted as A hence the name after sir amperes. This instrument is to measure current which are smaller in the microampere or milliampere range. Early the ammeters were instruments laboratories that relied on the magnetic field Earth's for operation. 


[Image will be uploaded soon]


In 1820t he relation which is between current  electric and the  magnetic fields and forces were first noted by Hans Christian Ørsted who observed a needle of compass was deflected from the north direction. Which is pointing when a flowing current in a wire which is adjacent. The galvanometer that is a tangent was used to measure currents which were using this effect. We can say  where the force which is restoring the pointer to the positive zero position was provided by the Earth's magnetic field. This all made these instruments usable only when aligned with the field of Earth's. 


Galvanometer Ammeter Difference

A galvanometer is an instrument electromechanical used for indicating and detecting an electric current. A galvanometer generally works as an actuator which is by producing a deflection which is rotary deflection of a pointer. In electric response current flowing through a coil in a constant field magnetic. Early galvanometers were not calibrated  but we can say that the improved devices were used as measuring instruments. And that is known as  ammeters. These are to measure the current which is flowing through an electric circuit.

The developed Galvanometers which is from the observation that the needle of a compass magnetic is deflected near a wire that has current electric current flowing through it. In 1820 the first described by Hans Christian Ørsted. They were the instrument which was first used to measure and detect small amounts of current electric. The great scientist André-Marie Ampère who gave expression of mathematics to discovery of Ørsted's and named the instrument after the electricity Italian researcher Luigi Galvani who discovered the principle of the frog galvanoscope in 1791. The current electric would make the legs of a dead frog jerk. The galvanometer which was the sensitive has been essential for the development of science and technology in many fields. In 1800 for example they enabled communication which is  long-range that is through the submarine that cables such as the earliest transatlantic cable telegraph. And these all things were essential to discovering the activities which were activities related to electrical activity of the brain and heart that are by their fine measurements of current.


[Image will be uploaded soon]


We have seen probably that the largest use of galvanometers was of the D'Arsonval that is the Weston type which is used in analog meters in electronic equipment. In 1980 Since galvanometer-type analog meter movements were displaced by analog-to-digital converters which are also known as ADCs for many uses. A panel which is a digital meter that is the DPM which contains an ADC and display of numeric. The advantages of a digital instrument are precision that is higher and accuracy. 


Difference

The other differences which were between the ammeter and galvanometer are shown below in the chart of comparison.

The galvanometer which uses a coil moving free to rotate between the magnet permanent. When the flow of current through the coil it becomes really deflected. And the deflection of the coil is directly proportional to the flow of current through it. The galvanometer is said to be converted into the ammeter by connecting the resistance which is in parallel with the circuit. And if the resistance is connected in series with a galvanometer that then it is used as a voltmeter.

The ammeter is also called the meter of ampere. The unit of ampere is the current that is the meter of the ampere that is the type of meter which measures the magnitude of passing current through it. It is connected in series with the circuit for determining the value which is the exact value of current.


Key Difference Between Ammeter and Galvanometer

  1. The direction as well as the magnitude of the current whereas the ammeter is the device which is electric and its used for measuring the magnitude of the current.

  2. The galvanometer shows of galvanometer the direction of flow of current in the circuit whereas it measures the magnitude of the ammeter of current flows through it.

  3. The field which is magnetic is required for the working of a galvanometer whereas it is not essential.

  4. The galvanometer accuracy is less as compared to the ammeter.

  5. The galvanometer which we have learned is only used for measuring the direct current. whereas on the other hand the ammeter is used for measuring the both the direct and current which is  alternating.

  6. The galvanometer which is sensitive is more as compared to the ammeter.

  7. The galvanometer which we have discussed  is mostly used in bridges and potentiometers for knowing the current which is  zero whereas the ammeter is directly connected in series with the circuit whose magnitude is to be measured.

The ammeter and the galvanometer both are the measuring devices. The ammeter is the implemented form of the galvanometer which shows the value which is accurate for current  which passes through it in amphere or the milliamperes.

FAQs on Difference Between Ammeter and Galvanometer for JEE Main 2024

1. Explain What a Galvanometer Measures?

Ans: A galvanometer is an instrument we can say that can measure and detect small amounts of current in a circuit of electrical. The first galvanometer was built just months after the scientist Hans Christian Ørsted in 1820 which demonstrated that an electric current can deflect a needle magnetized.

2. Why Do One Not Use a Galvanometer as We Use Ammeters?

Ans: A galvanometer generally shows a deflection of full scale with a very small current. Hence we can say that a galvanometer can measure a limited amount of current. Therefore we can conclude that as such a galvanometer can not be used as an ammeter that can measure the given large current.

3. Explain How Many Types of Galvanometer are there?

Ans: Some of the different types of galvanometer  which include Tangent galvanometer and the  Astatic galvanometer then the  Mirror galvanometer and lat the Ballistic galvanometer. However we can say that today the main type of galvanometer type that is used widely is the D'Arsonval/Weston type or the moving type of a coil.

4. Explain What is the Function of the Galvanometer?

Ans: The function of Galvanometer is the instrument for measuring a small electrical current or we can say a function of the current by deflection which is of a moving coil. The deflection is a rotation which is mechanical derived from forces resulting from the current.