9/14/23, 12:41 PM Voltmeter | Types, Definition, & Facts | Britannica

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voltmeter
measurement
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9/14/23, 12:41 PM Voltmeter | Types, Definition, & Facts | Britannica

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voltmeter, instrument that measures voltages of either direct or alternating electric

current on a scale usually graduated in volts, millivolts (0.001 volt), or kilovolts (1,000
volts). Many voltmeters are digital, giving readings as numerical displays. The
instruments just described can also provide readings in analogue form, by moving a
pointer that indicates voltage on a scale, but digital voltmeters generally have a higher
order of accuracy than analogue instruments. For example, a common analogue
voltmeter is likely to employ an electromechanical mechanism in which current flowing
through turns of wire is translated into a reading of voltage. Other types of voltmeters
include the electrostatic voltmeter, which uses electrostatic forces and, thus, is the only
voltmeter to measure voltage directly rather than by the effect of current. The
potentiometer operates by comparing the voltage to be measured with known voltage; it
is used to measure very low voltages. The electronic voltmeter uses amplification or
rectification (or both) to measure either alternating- or direct-current voltages. The
current needed to actuate the meter movement is not taken from the circuit being
measured; hence, this type of instrument does not introduce errors of circuit loading.

An instrument that also measures ohms and amperes (in milliamperes) is known as a
multimeter or sometimes as a volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM).

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coil
electronics
Also known as: winding
Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: Article History

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Related Topics: solenoid • output winding • Helmholtz coil • shading coil • choke coil

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coil, in an electric circuit, one or more turns, usually roughly circular or cylindrical, of
current-carrying wire designed to produce a magnetic field or to provide electrical
resistance or inductance; in the latter case, a coil is also called a choke coil (see also
inductance). A soft iron core placed within a coil produces an electromagnet. A
cylindrical coil that moves a plunger within it by variations in the current through the
coil is known as a solenoid (q.v.).

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