Does the ammeter reading change depending on its location on the circuit?
A volt meter is rather high in resistance and only a small current travels through the meter itself. It is used in parallel … meaning that it is not the only path for the current. An ammeter is used in series to measure the current flow in a particular circuit. It must provide a path for the entire current. It would be difficult to develop a meter that would handle significant amounts of current. With that in mind, the ammeter uses a shunt to allow some of the current to travel through a course parallel to the meter. If the shunt malfunctions, it is likely the meter will not be able to handle the current. Voltmeters and ammeters typically have a similar problem: the sensing unit has a smaller sensing range than is desired. To extend the range, you add circuits that adjust the voltage or current to be within the sensor’s range. To understand why a shunt is used in an ammeter but not a voltmeter, you need to understand Ohm’s law, and how it differs between serial and parallel circuits.
