Red Seal Electrician Practice
Meters and troubleshootingQuestion 693 of 1506

Why is a shunt resistor placed across a sensitive meter movement?

  1. It converts the current to a voltage for the meter display
  2. It carries most of the current so only a set fraction goes through the movement
  3. It blocks all current when the meter is idle
  4. It raises the voltage across the movement so that the display shows more
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Correct answer: It carries most of the current so only a set fraction goes through the movement

The shunt and movement form a current divider that sends a known share of the measured current through the movement.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits I: DC (Kuphaldt), 6.3: Current Divider Circuits and the Current Divider Formula

Practice meters and troubleshooting

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026