Final answer:
A galvanometer is used in electric meters to measure current and voltage. It operates through the deflection of a needle caused by a magnetic field acting on a current-carrying wire. The correct choice is c) meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
A galvanometer is a useful device in electric circuits that can be used to detect and indicate an electric current. The correct answer to the student's question, 'A galvanometer is a useful device in electric______,' is c) meters.
Analog meters, such as voltmeters and ammeters, use a galvanometer to measure electrical quantities. The galvanometer operates on the principle that a current-carrying coil placed within a magnetic field experiences a torque, which causes the coil to rotate and move a needle across a scale - this deflection indicates the magnitude of the current flowing through the circuit.
To use a galvanometer as an ammeter, which measures current, a small resistance is connected in parallel with it, allowing it to handle higher currents. As a voltmeter, which measures voltage, a large resistance is added in series with the galvanometer to measure the potential difference (voltage) across two points in a circuit.