What is probably happening when an ohmmeter, connected across a circuit, initially indicates a low resistance and then shows increasing resistance with time?

When an ohmmeter shows an initial low resistance followed by an increase in resistance over time, it typically indicates the presence of a large capacitor in the circuit. Initially, when the ohmmeter is connected, the capacitor appears to allow current to flow, leading to a low resistance reading. However, as the capacitor begins to charge, the current flow decreases, causing the resistance reading to increase. This behavior is consistent with how capacitors work in a circuit, where they charge over time and affect resistance measurements.

In contrast, other components such as inductors would not behave in the same way when measured with an ohmmeter, and a relaxation oscillator operates differently. Therefore, the observation of resistance increasing with time is closely linked to the charging process of a capacitor.