Demonstration Galvanometer

DCS Code: 5F40.20 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Safety Warnings

Purpose

Shows how the same galvanometer movement becomes either a voltmeter (with a series multiplier resistor) or an ammeter (with a parallel shunt resistor). Students see that these are not fundamentally different instruments.

Welch demonstration galvanometer with center-zero scale (5-0-5), black metal housing with visible coil mechanism, circuit diagrams for VOLTS and AMPS configurations on the dial face, red binding posts and knobs on base
Figure 1: Welch demonstration galvanometer with center-zero scale. The dial face shows circuit diagrams for voltmeter and ammeter configurations. Note: "When used as a galvanometer, remove shunt."