galvanometer

American  

[gal-vuh-nom-i-ter] / ˌgæl vəˈnɒm ɪ tər /

noun

1. an instrument for detecting the existence of small electric currents and determining their strength.

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galvanometer British  

/ ˌɡælvəˈnɒmɪtə, ɡælˌvænə-, ˌɡælvənəʊˈmɛtrɪk /

noun

1. any sensitive instrument for detecting or measuring small electric currents

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galvanometer Scientific  

/ găl′və-nŏm′ĭ-tər /

1. An instrument that detects small electric currents and indicates their direction and relative strength. Current flowing through the galvanometer passes through a coil near a magnetized needle on a pivot; the strength of the current in the coil regulates the strength of a magnetic field that displaces the needle. Galvanometers can be used directly as ammeters, and are the core element of many ohmmeters and voltmeters.

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Other Word Forms

• galvanometry
  noun
• galvanometric
  adjective
• galvanometrically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of galvanometer

First recorded in 1795–1805; galvano- + -meter

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

galvanometer

Suppose you want 10 V to produce a full- scale deflection of a voltmeter containing a 25-Ω galvanometer with a 50-µA sensitivity.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

For example, a galvanometer with a current sensitivity of 50 µA has a maximum deflection of its needle when 50 µA flows through it, reads half-scale when 25 µA flows through it, and so on.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Furthermore, it is not possible to tell when the galvanometer reads exactly zero, which introduces error into both Rx and Rs , and may also affect the current I .

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

The segment of wire has a resistance Rx and script Ex = IRx , where I is unaffected by the connection since no current flows through the galvanometer.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

He used an electric current to stimulate an amphibian’s calf, then employed the galvanometer to measure how long it took the electrical current to run along the sciatic nerve.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel