Electrical Safety,

Operating of devices
for measuring currents
and voltages
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM
Joseph L. De chavez
BSED III Science
Performance Standards
The learners shall be able to use theoretical and experimental approaches to
solve multi-concept and rich-context problems involving electricity and
magnetism.
Learning Competencies
At the end of the session, the students should be able to:

1. Operate devices for measuring currents and voltages

2. Describe the physiological effects of electrical shock; electrical hazards;

safety devices and procedures
The ammeter

An ammeter is built by placing a galvanometer in parallel with a “shunt”

resistor. The shunt resistor is a small resistor that “shunts” (deflects) the
current away from the galvanometer, so that most of the current goes through
the shunt resistor.
The ammeter
The voltmeter
A voltmeter is constructed by placing a large resistor, RV , in series with a
galvanometer (that has internal resistance RG ),The voltmeter is designed to
measure the potential difference between the terminals of the voltmeter
Ideal voltmeters have infinite resistance, while ideal ammeters have zero
resistance. Connecting a
voltmeter in parallel or an ammeter in series to a circuit element therefore
does not change the current.
An ideal measurement should not change the state of the circuit element.
• Voltage measurement-In multimeters for use with dc circuits, the probes
are usually color-coded. The red end is used for the terminal with higher
potential, and the black end is used for the terminal at lower potential.
Analog multimeters will swing in the opposite direction if the probes are
misapplied; this can damage the multimeter.
• Current measurement- To measure the current passing through a circuit
element, one must place the multimeter or ammeter in series with the
circuit element.
• AC circuits- Students should be cautioned that the multitester settings
should be modified when measuring currents and voltages for AC circuit
elements.
Physiological effects of current

current physiological effects

less than 0.001 amperes no perception

0.001 amperes tingling or sensation of heating

0.001 to 010 amperes involuntary muscular contraction, pain

0.10 to 0.50 amperes ventricular fibrillation

0.50 to a few amperes heart stops but can restart if current stops

More than a few amperes heart stops, no breathing, burns

Safety measures
All safety rules are aimed at not causing a current to pass through paths we do
not intend, whether it is the human body, a wire, or another circuit element
that's sensitive to current. The rules involve either increasing an effective
electrical resistance or eliminating the likelihood of accumulating excess
charge.
Safety measures
• The first class of safety rules involves increasing the effective resistance
between a wire element at some potential greater than the ground,the
human body, and the ground.
• A second class of safety rules is used to prevent the production of sparks
(current in air), which may cause combustion in nearby combustible
agents.
• A third class of safety rules involves good grounding of a person or an
object.