Signedon plaque:
FunctionAn ammeter shunt allows currents that are too large to be directly measured to measured by the instrument. It consists of a resistor placed in series with the load so that most the current to be measured flows through it. Because it has a known resistance, and the voltage drop in the shunt is proportional to the measured current, a millivolt meter connected to the shunt can directly read the value of the current.
To view the ammeter that this object would have been used with, please refer to object number 0417a in this collection.
Historical AttributesThe blue triangle indicates that this instrument was used for teaching in the Physics 3 course in the 1920s at Harvard.
ProvenanceFrom the Jefferson Physical Laboratory. Harvard University. Used for teaching purposes in the Physics 3 rooms. Has the identifying blue triangle by Paul Donaldson 1923. Found there 4-27-70.