Question

Why is an ammeter connected in series in an electric circuit?

Answer 1

Hint To answer the question, you first need to know what is the aim of using the ammeter in an electric circuit. The aim is to find out the precise value of current flowing through the circuit. You must know how current and voltage divide themselves when an element is connected in series or in parallel with the electric circuit and answer accordingly.

Complete step by step answer
Whenever we connect an ammeter in an electric circuit, we connect it in series with the circuit while a voltmeter is connected in parallel to the element across which we need to find the potential difference. It is so because both of these elements have an aim to fulfill and provide us with the desired information or knowledge about the electric circuit. The aim of an ammeter in the circuit is to provide us with the information about how much current is flowing through the circuit and for this, we need the ammeter to be connected in such a way that it gives us the correct information about the current flowing through the electric circuit in which it is connected. We all know that the current divides itself when the elements are connected in parallel, while when they are connected in series, the current flowing through them is exactly the same and equal to the overall current flowing in that particular electric circuit. On the other hand, voltage across different elements is different when they are connected in series, while it stays the same when those same elements are connected in parallel to each other and thus, voltmeter is connected in parallel to the element while ammeter is connected in series in an electric circuit.

Note Another reason that students can find is that ammeter has internal resistance connected in parallel to the galvanometer, which helps in decreasing the net resistance of the electric circuit, but this is not the reason why we connect ammeter in series in an electric circuit. Rather, the reason the internal resistance is connected in parallel to the galvanometer is so that ammeter can be connected in series and yet would not affect the current flowing in the electric circuit by a lot.