A voltmeter must be placed in parallel with the circuit element whose voltage is to be measured.An ideal voltmeter therefore has
A)zero resistance.
B)infinite resistance.
C)resistance equal to the circuit element.
D)None are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An ideal voltmeter should have infinite resistance so it does not draw any current from the circuit, and hence does not change the voltage across the circuit element it is measuring. Additionally, having zero resistance (choice A) would short-circuit the circuit element, causing a large current to flow and possibly damaging the meter. Having resistance equal to the circuit element (choice C) would create a voltage divider with the circuit element, changing the voltage being measured. Choice D is incorrect because choice B is the correct answer.

A Voltmeter Must Be Placed in Parallel with the Circuit