Meters and troubleshootingQuestion 995 of 1506

Why can a handheld multimeter not give a full picture of an AC circuit?

It cannot read any AC voltage at all
It reads only DC current and not AC
It does not register phase angles
It changes the frequency of the circuit

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Correct answer: It does not register phase angles

Phase angles matter in AC troubleshooting, but a handheld meter shows only magnitudes.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits II: AC (Kuphaldt), 5.6: R, L and C Summary

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026

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