A resistor is a passive electronic

component that we use in electronic

circuits either to limit current
through an active component or to
reduce voltage in the circuit (by
dropping voltage across the
resistor).
Note:- Current through a
resistor is directly proportional
to the voltage applied across
the resistor. This is derived
from Ohms Law and is
represented by equation I =
V/R – where I=current through
resistor (in amperes), V =
voltage across resistor (in
volts) and R = resistance of the
1. Fixed Resistor
2. Variable Resistor
3. Rheostat
4. Tapped Resistor
5. Thermistor
6. Light Dependent Resistor
(LDR)
7. Voltage Dependent Resistor
1. Fixed Resistor
A fixed resistor cannot be changed as
it is set at a specific value.
 Carbon composition type
resistor
This is the most common
type of low wattage resistor.
The resistive material is of
carbon-clay composition and the
leads are made of tinned
copper. These resistors are
cheap and reliable and stability
is high.
 Wire wound resistors:
These resistors are a length
of wire wound an insulating
cylindrical core.
Usually wires of material such
as constantan (60% copper and
40% nickel) and manganin which
have high resistivity and low
temperature coefficients are
employed. The completed wire
wound resistor is coated with an
insulating material such as baked
 Metalized resistors
It is constructed using film
deposition techniques of
depositing a thick film of
resistive material onto an
insulating substrate. Only
approximate values of resistance
can be had by this method.
2. Variable
resistor
- a device that is used
to change the
resistance according
to our needs in an
electronic circuit. It
can be used as a
three terminal as well
as a two terminal
device. Mostly they
are used as a three
terminal device.
Variable resistors are
mostly used for
 Variable resistor symbol for
circuit diagrams

Variable resistor element

with two
connections
 The variable resistor symbol used in
circuit diagrams indicates its
construction. Effectively it is a fixed
resistor with a slider that can move along
the length of the resistive element. In this
way it forms a potentiometer as described
before.
It depicts the current version use in
circuit diagrams today and the
traditional format that may be seen on
older circuit diagrams.
Types of Variable Resistor:
 Preset Variable Resistor

This is micro version of

variable resistor. Preset resistor is
directly mounted on circuit board
and adjusted only when the circuit is
built. There is an adjustable screw
attached to the resistor and a small
screwdriver is required to adjust this
screw for desired resistance value.
These are quite cheaper than
standard variable resistor
  Wire wound variable resistors
- are manufactured using very fine resistance
wire. This is wound around a former that is almost
toroid. The most commonly used form of resistance
wire used is a nickel chrome alloy. Which has some
further additives to improve its electrical characteristics.

Wire wound variable resistors offer a high level

of linearity and close tolerance. Some very close
tolerance versions may be able to offer linearity
tolerances of
±0.1%. These variable resistors are also stable
over a wide temperature range.
 Two main disadvantages with the wire
wound variable resistor
The first is that often as the slider
moves over the wires, the resistance
changes have discrete steps. This may not
be a problem in many applications, but it
is a point to note.
The second is that they are not
suitable even for low frequency RF
applications as the resistance wire forms a
coil and has significant inductance.
  Cermet variable resistors
-are widely used, particularly for trimmer resistors. The
name cermet is derived from the fact that the resistive
element is made from CERamic and METal. The resistive
element is made from a mixture of fine metal oxides or
precious metal particles and glass in a viscous organic
material. The resulting paste is applied to the substrate and
fired to solidify the mixture.
Cermet variable resistors are ideal for trimmer
resistors because they have a low to medium
adjustment life, and they often have temperature
coefficients of around
±100ppm/°C.
 Carbon composition variable resistors
-For the carbon composition variable
resistor, a mixture of carbon powder and a
binder are molded under heat into the
required shape. In some manufacturing
processes the carbon composition element
is molded at the same time as the plastic
substrate.

Carbon composition variable resistors

are some of the least expensive types and
they are widely used in many areas - they
are a good all round general purpose
variable resistor.
VARI TYPICAL TYPICA TYPICAL TYPIC TYPICAL
ABL RESISTAN L POWER AL TEMPER
E HANDLIN LIFE AT URE
CE TOLER
RESI G (ROTA COEFFICI
RANGES ANCE TIO E NT
STO
R NS) (PPM/°K)
TYP
E
Wirew 10Ω - 50kΩ ±5% up to 1 Watt 500 ±50
ound

Cerme 50Ω - 2MΩ ±10% 500mW 200 100

t

Cond 50Ω - 2MΩ ±10% 250mW 100 000 500

uctiv
e
Plasti
c
Carbo 50Ω - 2MΩ ±20% 250mW 1000 ~±10%/°K
n
comp
ositio
n
Rheost
at
3. Rheostat
-is an adjustable or variable resistor. It is
used to control the electrical resistance of
a circuit without interrupting the flow of
current. Rheostat has 3 terminals and
usually consist of a resistive wire wrapped
to form a toroid coil with a wiper that
slides along the surface of the coil. It is
most often designed with a ceramic core.
Rheostats are used in applications that
require high voltage and current.
 As a result of the reduction of size and
power consumption in many of today’s
electrical devices rheostats, once are
very common item in commercial and
industrial products, have been
replaced by potentiometers. The most
common uses today for rheostats are
as light dimmers and motor speed
controls. They are often used in arc
lamps, pumps, fans and blowers,
respirators, dental and medical
equipment and model trains.
Tapped
Resistor
4. Tapped Resistor

A wire wound fixed resistor having

one or more additional terminals along
its
length, generally for voltage-divider
applications
5. Thermistor
-is a thermally sensitive resistor whose
resistance value changes with changes in
operating temperature. Because of the self-
heating effect of current in a thermistor, the
device changes resistance with changes in
current. It exhibits either a positive
temperature coefficient (PTC) or a negative
temperature coefficient (NTC).
 If a thermistor has a positive temperature
coefficient, its resistance increases as the operating
temperature increases. Conversely, if a thermistor
has a negative temperature coefficient, its resistance
decreases as the operating temperature increases.

Thermistors are frequently used in electronic

circuits that handle temperature measurement,
temperature control, and temperature compensation.
In digital thermometers, it is used to measure oil and
coolant temperatures, and also used in ovens and
refrigerators, but they are also found in almost any
application that requires heating or cooling
protection circuits for safe operation.
The thermistor symbols
are:

The arrow by the T signifies that the

resistance is variable based on
temperature. The direction of the arrow or
bar is not significant.
How does the thermistor "read"
temperature?

A thermistor does not actually

"read" anything, instead the resistance
of a thermistor changes with
temperature. How much the resistance
changes depends on the type of
material used in the thermistor
 An LDR is a component that has a
(variable) resistance that changes with
the light intensity that falls upon it. This
allows them to be used in light sensing
circuits.
Hence, they are light sensitive
devices. They are also called as photo
conductors, photo conductive cells or
simply photocells. They are made up of
semiconductor materials having high
resistance.
There are many different symbols used to
indicate a LDR, one of the most commonly
used symbol is shown in the figure below.
The arrow indicates light falling on it.
 Varistor are voltage dependent,
nonlinear device which have an
electrical behavior similar to back-to-
back zener diodes. It provide reliable
and economical protection against high
voltage transients and surges which
may be produced, for example, by
lighting, switching or electrical noise on
AC or DC power lines.
They have the advantage over transient
suppressor diodes in as much as they
can absorb much higher transient
When a transient occurs, the varistor
resistance changes from a very high
stand-by value to a very low conducting
value. The transient is thus absorbed and
clamped to a safe level, protecting
sensitive circuit components. Varistor are
manufactured from a non-homogeneous
material, giving a rectifying action at the
contact points of two particles. Many
series and parallel connections
determine the voltage rating and the
current capability of the varistor
 A common element in electronic devices is a three-
terminal resistor with a continuously adjustable
tapping point controlled by rotation of a shaft or
knob. These variable resistors are known as
potentiometers when all three terminals
are present, since they act as a continuously
adjustable voltage divider. A common example is a
volume control for a radio receiver.
 Accurate, high-resolution panel-mounted
potentiometers (or "pots") have resistance elements
typically wire wound on a helical mandrel, although
some include a conductive-plastic resistance coating
over the wire to improve resolution. These typically
offer ten turns of their shafts to cover their full range.
They are usually set with dials that include a simple
turns counter and a graduated dial. Electronic
analog computers used them in quantity for setting
coefficients, and delayed- sweep oscilloscopes of
recent decades included one on their panels.
Standard Resistor Colour
Code Chart
Example

4 7 100 0.01
Example

6 8 0 100 5%
Resistor Colour Code Table

Formula = Digit, Digit, Multiplier = Colour, Colour x 10 colour in

Ohm’s
Example
Violet Green Yellow Gold
7 5 10,000 (104) +/-5%

3rd Band (Yellow) Result

75 x 104 = 750000Ω = 750kΩ

4th Band (Gold)

5%

To calculate the minimum and maximum resistance values, we multiply

the resistance value by the tolerance percentage to come up with the
following values:
Minimum = 750,000 - (750,000 x 5/100) = 750,000 – 37,500 = 712,500
= 712.5kΩ

Maximum = 750,000 + (750,000 x 5/100) = 750,000 + 37,500 = 787,500

= 787.5kΩ