AIR UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT NO 2
Lab Title: IDENTIFICATION OF RESISTOR COLOR CODES
Student Name: Reg. No:
Objective:
LAB ASSESSMENT:
Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Ability to Conduct
Experiment
Ability to assimilate the
results
Effective use of lab
equipment and follows
the lab safety rules
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:
LAB REPORT ASSESSMENT:
Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Data presentation
Experimental results
Conclusion
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:
Date: Signature:
LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT
NO. 02
IDENTIFICATION OF
RESISTOR COLOR CODES
Objectives:
1. To find the value of a resistor and its tolerance by color-coding.
2. To measure the value of the resistor by Digital Multi-Meter (DMM).
DISCUSSION
The resistor is perhaps the most fundamental of all electrical devices. Its fundamental attribute is
the restriction of electrical current flow: The greater the resistance, the greater the restriction of
current. Resistance is measured in Ohms. The measurement of resistance in unpowered circuits
may be performed with a digital multimeter.
Like all components, resistors cannot be manufactured to perfection. That is, there will always be
some variance of the true value of the component when compared to its nameplate or nominal
value. For precision resistors, typically 1% tolerance or better, the nominal value is usually printed
directly on the component. Normally, general purpose components, i.e. those worse than 1%,
usually use a color code to indicate their value.
Resistor values are marked onto the body of the resistor using a series of colored bands. These
give the value of the resistor as well as other information including the tolerance and sometimes
the temperature coefficient.
Because carbon resistors are small physically, they are color coded to mark their R value in ohm.
The basis of this system is the use of colors for numerical values as listed in table. The color coding
is standard by EIA (Electronic Industries Association).
The use of Resistors Color Bands is the most common system for color coding carbon resistors.
Color bands are printed at one end of the insulating body. Reading from left to right, the first band
is close to the edge gives the first digit in the numerical value of R. the next band marks the second
digit. The third band is the decimal multiplier, which gives the number of zeroes after two digits.
In some resistors first three bands represent the digits and fourth band is decimal multiplier.
The amount by which the actual R can be different from the color-coded value is the
tolerance, usually gives in percentage. For instance, a 1000ohm resistor with -+10%
tolerance can have resistance 10% above or below the coded value. This R, therefore, is
between 900ohm and 1100ohm.
Four Band Resistor
The four band resistor indicates the first digit for the 1st band, second digit for the 2nd band, third
digit for 3rd band (multiplier or power of 10) and the fourth digit for 4th band represent tolerance
of ±5%, ±10%, and ±20%.
Band Purpose
1 First significant digit
2 Second significant digit
3 Multiplier of power of 10
4 Tolerance
Example:
1st Band – Red (2)
2nd Band – Orange (3)
3rd Band – Green (105)
4th Band – Gold (±5%)
Five Band Resistor
These are the special type of resistors with five bands. Other than, one or two coloured bands five
band resistor has extra third digit value. This band is present in high precision resistors.
Band Purpose
1 First significant digit
2 Second significant digit
3 Third significant digit
4 Multiplier of power of 10
5 Tolerance
Example:
1st Band – Red (2)
2nd Band – Green (5)
3rd Band – Orange (3)
4th Band – Yellow (104)
5th Band – Violet (±0.1%)
Six Band Resistor
The value of resistance changes with temperature. The rise or fall in temperature may affect the
tolerance. To avoid this six band resistor is used. The six band color indicates the amount of
resistance value that will change with respect to temperature. The temperature coefficient of
resistance is indicated in ppm/°C.
Band Purpose
1 First significant digit
2 Second significant digit
3 Third significant digit
4 Multiplier of power of 10
5 Tolerance
6 Temperature coefficient of resistance
Example:
1st Band – Brown (1)
2nd Band – Black (0)
3rd Band – Black (0)
4th Band – Brown (101)
5th Band – Green (±0.5%)
6th Band – Red (50 ppm/ °C)
The resistance value of the resistor is not the only thing to consider when selecting a resistor for
use in a circuit. The "tolerance" and the electric power ratings of the resistor are also important.
The tolerance of a resistor denotes how close it is to the actual rated resistance value. For example,
a ±5% tolerance would indicate a resistor that is within ±5% of the specified resistance value. The
power rating indicates how much power the resistor can safely tolerate. The maximum rated power
of the resistor is specified in Watts. Power is calculated using the square of the current (I2) x the
resistance value ( R ) of the resistor. If the maximum rating of the resistor is exceeded,
it will become extremely hot and even burn.
Note, the IEC standard replaces the decimal point with the engineering prefix, thus 1.2 k is
alternately written 1k2.
Examples:
A resistor with a color-code of “Red-Violet-Orange-Silver” would have a color-coded value of 27
kΩ . The color -coded tolerance of silver band is ±10%, and 10% of 27 kΩ is 2.7 kΩ . This means
the resistor should have an actual measured value within the range of 27 k Ω – 2.7 kΩ = 24.3kΩ
and (27 kΩ + 2.7 kΩ = 29.7 kΩ ).
Lab Task:
1. Given the nominal values and tolerances in the given Table, determine and record
the corresponding color code bands.
Value Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Band 4
27 @ 10%
56 @ 10%
180 @ 5%
390 @ 10%
680 @ 5%
1.5 k @ 20%
3.6 k @ 10%
7.5 k @ 5%
10 k @ 5%
47 k @ 10%
820 k @ 10%
2.2 M @ 20 %
2. Given the color codes in the given Table, determine and record the nominal value,
tolerance and the minimum and maximum acceptable values.
Colors Nominal Tolerance Minimum Maximum
red-red-black-
silver
blue-gray-
black-gold
brown-green-
brown-gold
orange-orange-
brown-silver
green-blue-
brown –gold
brown-red-
red–silver
red-violet-red–
silver
gray-red-red–
gold
brown-black-
orange–gold
orange-orange-
orange–silver
blue-gray-
yellow–none
green-black-
green-silver
3. Obtain five assorted resistor values and list them in the table below. Determine the
minimum and maximum acceptable values based on the nominal value and tolerance.
Record these values in the given Table. Using the DMM measure the actual value of the
resistor and record it. Determine the deviation percentage of this component. (The
deviation percentage may be found via: Deviation = 100 * (measured-nominal)/nominal.
Circle the deviation if the resistor is out of tolerance.)
Value Minimum Maximum Measured Deviation
4. Select ten resistors (5% tolerance) between 1Ω and 1MΩ. Verify the value of
resistance and tolerance of resistors using color codes, and complete the following
table.
S. Resistor’s Coded Tolerance Maximum Minimum Measured Is the
No. Color Code Resista (%) Coded Coded Resistance Resistor
(Record four nce Resistance Resistance (Ω) Within
color bands) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω) Tolerance?
1 Red-Violet- 27kΩ 10% 27k+2.7k 27k-2.7k 25.1 kΩ YES**
OrangeSilver = 29.7kΩ =24.3kΩ
2
10
**YES because: 24.3 kΩ ≤ 25.1kΩ≤29.7kΩ
Conclusion:
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