A student assembles a simple circuit consisting of an ideal 6.0V battery and a single 12Ω resistor mounted on a circuit board.
To measure the current in the resistor and the potential difference across it, the student uses one ideal ammeter and one ideal voltmeter. However, the student mistakenly connects the ammeter directly across the resistor’s terminals and inserts the voltmeter in series between the battery and the resistor.
(a) Identify the conceptual error in the placement of each meter.
(b) Qualitatively describe how the mistaken placement will affect (i) the current delivered by the battery and (ii) the potential difference actually across the resistor compared with what they would be if both meters were connected correctly.
(c) Explain, in terms of the internal resistance characteristics of ideal meters, why the effects you described in part (b) occur.