Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1

HOW TO MEASURE VALUE OF RESISTER BY COLOUR CODE AND OHM’S

LAW

OBJECTIVES

Educational Objectives:

1. Learn how to determine the value of resistor using Colour Coding.

2. Be able to calculate the value of resistor using OHM’s Law.
3. Understand how to calculate the value of Series Resistance.

Experimental Objective:

1. Get familiar with the construction, specification, accessories, and fundamental operation of DC
power supply, AC power supply, Digital Multi Meter (DMM) and Oscilloscope.
2. Understand the difference between the reading of DC power supply and DMM due to human
and instrumental errors.
3. Learn how to measure the voltage, current and resistance using Digital Multi Meter.
4. Be able to design any AC waveform using Function Generator and Oscilloscope.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Resistors

Different Resistors

2.2-kΩ, 3.3-kΩ (1/4-W)

Instruments

1. DMM (Digital Multimeter)

2. DC power supply

EQUIPMENT ISSUED

Item Manufacturer and Model No. Lab Serial No.

DMM
Power Supply

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1

RÉSUMÉ OF THEORY

In any active circuit there must be a source of power. In the laboratory, it is convenient to use a source
that requires a minimum of maintenance and, more important, whose output voltage can he varied easily.
Power supplies are rated as to maximum voltage and current output. For example, a supply rated 0—40 V
at 500 mA will provide a maximum voltage of 40 V and a maximum current of 500 mA at any voltage.

Most dc power supplies have three terminals, labelled as shown in Fig. 3.1. The three terminals permit the
establishment of a positive or negative voltage, which can he grounded or ungrounded. The variable
voltage is available only between terminals A and B. Both A and B must he part of any connection
scheme. If only terminals A and B are employed, as shown in Fig. 3.2, the supply is considered “floating”
and not connected to the common ground of the network. For common ground and safety reasons, the
supply is normally grounded as shown in Fig. 3.3 for a positive voltage and as in Fig. 3.4 for a negative
voltage.

When measuring voltage levels, make sure the voltmeter is connected in parallel (across) the
element being measured, as shown in Fig. 3.5. In addition, recognize that if the leads are connected as
shown in the figure, the reading will be up-scale and positive. If the meter were hooked up in the reverse
manner, a negative (down-scale, below-zero) reading would result. The voltmeter is therefore an excellent

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
instrument not only for measuring the voltage level but also for determining the polarity. Since the meter
is always placed in parallel with the element, there is no need to disturb the network when the
measurement is made.

Figure 1.1

Ammeters arc always connected in series with the branch in which the current is being measured,
as shown in Fig. 3.6, normally requiring that the branch be opened and the meter inserted. Ammeters also
have polarity markings to indicate the manner in which they should he connected to obtain an up-scale
reading. Since the current I of Fig. 3.6 would establish a voltage drop across the ammeter as illustrated,
the reading of the ammeter will be up-scale and positive. If the meter were hooked up in the reverse
manner, the reading would he negative or down-scale. In other words, simply reversing the leads will
change a below-zero indication to an up-scale reading.

Figure 1.2

Until you become familiar with the use of the ammeter, draw in the ammeter in the network with
the polarities determined by the current direction. It is then easier to ensure that the meter is connected
properly to the surrounding elements. This process will he demonstrated in more detail in a later
experiment.

The voltage across and the current through a resistor can be used to determine its resistance using
Ohm’s law in the following form:

R= V/I

The magnitude of R will he determined by the units of measure for V and I.

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
PROCEDURE

TASK 1. Reading the resistor colour code

In this task, the resistance of a series of ½ W carbon resistors will first be determined from the colour
code and then compared with the measured value.

The first two hands (those closest to the end of the resistor) determine the first two digits of the resistor
value, while the third hand determines the power of the power of 10 multiplier (actually the number of
zeros to follow the first two digits). If the third hand is silver (0.01) or gold (0. 1), it is a multiplying
factor used to establish resistor values less than 10Ω. The fourth hand is the percent tolerance for the
chosen resistor.

Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple Gray White
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Enter the numerical value of each colour in the next column, as shown by the example.

Resistor Ω Colour Bands - Colour Colour Bands – Numerical Value

(nominal 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
value)
22 Red Red Black Gold 2 2 0 5%
91
220
3.3k
10k
470k
1M
TABLE 1.3

The percent tolerance is used to determine the range of resistance levels within which the manufacturer
guarantees the resistor will fall. It is determined by first taking the percent tolerance and multiplying by
the nominal resistance level. For the example in Table 1.3, the resulting resistance level

(5%) (22 Ω)= (0.05)(22Ω) = 1.1Ω

is added to and subtracted from the nominal value to determine the range as follows:

Maximum value = 22Ω + 1.1Ω = 23.1Ω

Minimum value = 22Ω — 1.1 Ω = 20.9Ω

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
Colour Bands Numerical Tolerance
1 2 3 4 Value
Brown Black Blue Gold

Yellow Violet Orange Gold

Brown Gray Gold None

Red Yellow Silver Gold

Green Brown Green Silver

Green Blue Black None

TABLE 1.4

TASK 3. Ohm’s Law (Determining I)

In this section the current of a dc series circuit will be determined by a direct measurement and using
Ohm’s law. In practice, most current levels are determined using Ohm’s law and a measured voltage level
to avoid having to break the circuit to insert the ammeter. However, one should be aware of the procedure
associated with using an ammeter and should feel confident that the measured value and that calculated
using Ohm’s law are very close in magnitude.

(a). Construct the circuit of Fig. using the DMM as a milliammeter. Be sure the milliammeter is
connected so that conventional current enters the red (positive) terminal of the meter and leaves the black
(negative) terminal to ensure a positive reading. Insert the measured value of R in Fig. and Table. Initially
set the DMM on (he high milliainmeter scale. For most DMMs the red, or positive, lead must he moved
from the V-Ω connection to the A terminal of the meter. The COM connection remains the same.

Adjust the power supply until VR = 2 V (the voltage across the resistor, not the supply voltage)
using the VOM to monitor VR. Be sure the red (positive) lead is connected to the point of higher potential
(the terminal that conventional current enters) and the black (negative) lead is connected to the point of
lower potential (tile terminal that conventional current leaves). You may find that searching for the best
scale (or the milliammeter will affect the voltage across VR since changing ammeter scales will change
the internal resistance of the milliammeter. Find a scale that provides a reading of good accuracy with VR
set at the required 2 V.

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
Figure 1.4

In Table record the measured value of IR from the DMM. Then calculate tile level of IR using
Ohm’s law and the measured resistor value and record in Table (using mA as the unit of measurement for
IR,). Finally, determine tile magnitude of tile percent difference from the following equation and complete
the line for VR 2 V in Table.

Repeat this procedure for the other levels of V R in Table. Note that when VR = 0 V, IR = 0 mA
and percent difference 0%.

R = 1Ω and Rmeasured = __________

VR (VOM) V IR (DMM) mA IR = VR / Rmeasure mA % Difference

10

TABLE 1.5

Comment on the level of percent difference in Table. Are the percent differences sufficiently
small to establish firmly the fact that the current determined by Ohm’s law will be very close (if not
equal) to that measured directly?

Plotting Ohm’s Law

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
(a). Using the data (measured values) of Table, plot l(DMM) versus VR (VOM) on Graph 1.1. Clearly
indicate each data point on the graph. Also label the curve as R = 1 kΩ.

Graph 1.1

(b). Once the curve of part (a) is drawn, the level of resistance can be determined at any level of
voltage or current.

For instance, at IR 5.6 mA draw a horizontal line from the vertical axis to the curve. Then draw a
line down from the intersection to the horizontal voltage axis. Record the level of V R below and calculate
the resistance using Ohm’s law.

VR = ____________
Calculation:

R = _____________

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1
Using a similar procedure, determine the level of VR corresponding to IR = 1.2 mA. Determine the value
of R using Ohm’s law and compare with the level at IR 5.6 mA.

VR = ____________
Calculation:

R = _____________

(c). The resistance level can also be determined from the equation

… (1.1)

Where ∆V is the change in V due to a change in current ∆I (or vice versa), as demonstrated by Fig.

Figure 1.5

For instance, if we choose ∆IR 6 mA - 2 mA = 4 mA for the 1-kΩ resistor of Graph 1.1, we can determine
the resulting ∆VR and apply Eq. That is, draw a horizontal line from IR = 2 mA and 6 mA on the vertical
axis to the curve and then drop lines down to the horizontal axis to determine the corresponding values of
VR. Find the resulting change in VR and apply Eq. (1.1).

Determine ∆VR for ∆IR = 6 mA — 2 mA = 4 mA for the 1-kΩ resistor of Graph 1.1.
∆VR = ___________
Determine R using equation 1.1
Calculation:

R = __________________

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Basic Electrical Engineering Lab Lab 1

Determine ∆IR for ∆VR = 4.6 mA — 3.2 mA = 1.4 mA for the 1-kΩ resistor of Graph 1.1.
∆IR = ___________
Determine R using Eq. (1.1).
Calculation:

R = __________________

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