Batteries Make Cents, Multimeter

[deleted-403381]

I want to make sure we are reading the multimeter correctly. We are using a 1.5 volt battery as a base-line test for the multimeter. We turned the dial to DC, to 20V, and got 1.49, so that's good! Then we went to amps. We turned it to A, and my two choices are 200m and 20m. On 20m we get 1. On 200m we get also get 1. So at the science fair, do we say "1 amp?" Is that the correct way to speak that? Then when we test the homemade battery, I guess it will be lower, and we will say something like "2 hundredths of an amp?" if the dial is on the 200m and shows .2?

[deleted-363563]

Hi dialupgirl!

Here is a link that I think may help. https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/ho ... multimeter
Anyway, I believe that both of those voltage settings are too low for the voltage that you’re trying to measure. In the overload section of that link, it states "What happens if you select a voltage setting that is too low for the voltage you’re trying to measure? Nothing bad. The meter will simply display a 1. This is the meter trying to tell you that it is overloaded or out-of-range. Whatever you’re trying to read is too much for that particular setting. Try changing the multimeter knob to the next highest setting." Therefore first, you must find a suitable setting. Second, stay at that setting for the remainder of the experiment so that the setting becomes a control to lower the uncertainty of your data.

Anyway, I hope that helps!
-Kayli

[deleted-403381]

You were absolutely right! Thanks!