Voltmeter | Types, Definition, & Facts - Encyclopedia 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.

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

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.