An ideal voltmeter has infinite impedance(resistance). If you were to break the circuit and put it in series and try to make a measurement, it is easy to see that the circuit would act completely differently and your measurement would be wrong. An ideal ammeter is always connected in series because it has 0 resistance, so all of the current would flow through it, and not through the wire that you are trying to measure the current of.
A better answer though is to think about what you are trying to measure. When you say something is 3 Volts, that is a difference between the voltages at two different points. If you want to see what the voltage drop across a resistor is, for example, you need to put one probe of the voltmeter on one side of the resistor and the other probe on the other side of the resistor. That setup is simply called being in parallel.
Voltage is potential difference between two points, hence measured across or in parallel, where as current is measured in series since current flows (*)
A voltmeter measures voltage change between two points in a circuit which generally is different, depending on what two points you chose. So to measure the voltage change between two points in a circuit you have to place the meter probes at these two points, without removing the portion of circuit between the probes (or else you change the circuit). This then, by definition, places the voltmeter in parallel with the section of circuit between the probes. When you place the meter probes at the two points you want to measure, a tiny portion of the current in the circuit will now go thru the meter and give you a reading. The best voltmeters give a reading by using the least amount of the original current because you don't want to significantly alter anything about the circuit. This is accomplished by making the voltmeter a very high resistance instrument. So when the current splits into the meter the high resistance allows only a tiny amount of original current to split into the meter.
Notice the difference in an ammeter. An ammeter measures the current (flow of charge) in a circuit which is the same everywhere in a length of circuit. In this case the meter is placed anywhere convienient in line with the circuit Since ammeters are in line with the original circuit it is important that they not effect the current being measured. So ammeters are very low resistance instruments since any resistance placed in line will reduce the current.
Ammeters are connected in series with the load under test. This requires the load be disconnected from the source, and the ammeter placed in circuit. Voltmeters are connected in parallel with the load under test. This does not require any circuit changes. Sorry, but WikiAnswers does not support illustrations.
One does NOT insert a voltmeter in a series cirtcuit...an ammeter can be inserted in series, though. A voltmeter is connected in parallel with the source voltage and low(ground) side.
An ammeter is always connected in series and a vlotmeter in parallel
The ammeter is used in series, because you want to measure the current through a circuit. The voltmeter is used in parallel, because you want to measure the voltage across a circuit. If you were to place the voltmeter in series, no current would flow because of the relatively high impedance of the voltmeter. If you were to place the ammeter in parallel, you would create a short-circuit, due to the relatively low impedance of the ammeter.
The Voltmeter is used to measure the electrical potential difference between two points... so it's no use to connect it in Series , because the electrical potential difference between two points at the same line is zero ==> the readings will always be zero. The Ammeter is used to measure the electric current in a circuit... so it's no use to connect it in Parallel , because you want to know the current flowing in this wire. note the internal Resistance of the Ammeter is very little and very high for the Voltmeter --> so they will not affect the circuit.
Ammeter is coneccted in series with circuit but Voltmeter is connected in parallel.
Connect ammeter in series and voltmeter in parallel to the circuit
Ammeters are connected in series with the load under test. This requires the load be disconnected from the source, and the ammeter placed in circuit. Voltmeters are connected in parallel with the load under test. This does not require any circuit changes. Sorry, but WikiAnswers does not support illustrations.
voltmeter in parallel and ammeter in series of a circuit.
To connect an ammeter, you must place it in series with the circuit so that the current flows through the ammeter. To connect a voltmeter, you must place it in parallel with the component you are measuring the voltage across. Make sure to set the ammeter and voltmeter to the proper range before connecting them.
Place in parallel anywhere in the circuit. One lead goes to the hot, the other to the neutral.
An ammeter is connected in series. A voltmeter is connected in parallel. ammeter should always be connected in series instead of parallel becoz it is a low resistance device and we know that resistance is inversly proportional to current so more current will pass through it and if it is connected in parallel than it may get damaged
The voltmeter will register the volts, the ammeter will either explode or blow a fuse since it has a very low resistance and is designed to be used in series to measure the current flowing through it.
One does NOT insert a voltmeter in a series cirtcuit...an ammeter can be inserted in series, though. A voltmeter is connected in parallel with the source voltage and low(ground) side.
An ammeter is always connected in series and a vlotmeter in parallel
A voltmeter measures voltage across a circuit component, while an ammeter measures the current flowing through it. Voltmeters have very high resistance, which reduces the impact of the meter on the circuit compared to an ammeter with very low resistance, minimizing interference with the current being measured and resulting in more accurate readings.
ammeter in series at any side as required since it is bilateral and voltmeter is connected in parallel to measure voltage drop across it