We often look at a lot of resistors in many electronic circuits. Do you know how to use it? How it works. I think it is a very important electronic device. If you do not have them. Your project may not work.

What is a resistor

The resistor is an electronics component. Meet Resistors in the image below. It looks like a beautiful worm. With 2 legs on the head and end of the body. The 1/4 watts is my most used shape.

It will resist or limit the current flowing it. The levels or size that they are resisting. We call the resistance.

If more resistance, less current flows in the circuit. You may not imagine. The current looks like the water in a pipe, below.

• The left resistor has high resistance. So the current can flow is low.
• But on the other hand, the right has low resistance inside. So the current can flow through it higher.

Learn the resistor for kids

When my son learns about the basic Electronics. He should learn about the resistors first.

Today we will learn about the resistors

1. How does it shape? He said they look like a worm.
2. Learn to use the meter to measure its value. Now, I have not taught him to read the color code. Because it is too difficult for him.He uses a digital ohmmeter to measure the resistors. It is so easy to read the resistance of the resistors.

Then, he learns about basic of resistor, name, symbol and Its value in decimal units.

What to expect him to get

• Drawing skills
• Using a digital multimeter to measure the resistors or how to use ohms meter.

Learn math in Electronics
He has not understood the math (decimal point). But it is important in Electronics. He can understand in the future.

Resistor color code

When we look at the resistor. We will notice many color bands on it. These colors show us the resistance. We can measure them in ohms. When we write it, we can write an omega symbol, Ω.

Why use color codes? As the resistors are small components. We can difficult to see resistor values on them. So, these resistors have the color-coded instead.

Resistor color decoding method
To begin with, you look at the block diagram below. Now, most resistors have 4 color bands. When I was a young boy. I used to see the three color bands in AM receiver radio.

Suppose we have a resistor color code, brown, black, red and gold. How many its resistance?

Secondly, start to look the color band left to right. The first is the first digit of resistance. We know the first band is “1” in resistance.

Then, the second band is the second digit. It is black for “0”.

Now, we have the resistance is 10.

Look at the third color band is red. The multiplier is 100Ω.

So, the resistance is 10 x 100Ω or 1kΩ

The fourth color band means an actual resistance, tolerance. It is gold, so its tolerance of ±5 percent, 25Ω.

Thus in real using its resistance is between 950Ω  and 1050Ω.

Which if you see the resistors having the tolerance resistance 10%(silver). You can get it is same this how.

Look at the resistor again. You will notice two group color. First, the tolerance is one band only, often for gold. Second, three bands are the resistance value.

Simple simple Resistor color decoding

My son does not like to use how above. He finds an easier way.

We can decode the resistor color without having to calculate with this table.

You may do not understand how to use it.  When more use more understand!

For example, You have 6 resistors. All last color band is Glod. So, it is 5% tolerance. What is each resistance?

1. The first resistor, Brown, Black, Red, and Gold.  First, Brown and Black are 10.  Second, look at the third color band is red. We put a dot between the first color and second color band. It is 1.0. Then we put a kΩ as its unit.  Now we have 1.0kΩ or 1kΩ.
2. The second resistor, Yellow, Purple, Red, and Gold. First, yellow and purple are 47.  Then, we put the dot between the first and second color. It is 4.7. Next, we put the kΩ.  So its resistance is 4.7kΩ.
3. Third resistor, Orange, Orange, Orange, Gold.  First, yellow and purple are 33.  Then, we put a kΩ at behind the second color as the unit. So its resistance is 33kΩ.
4. Fourth resistor, Red, Red, Yellow, Gold.  First, Red and Red are 22.  Then, we put 0 (zero) behind the second color. It is 220. Next, put a kΩ at behind the zero as the unit. So its resistance is 220kΩ.
5. Fifth resistor, Brown, Black, Gold, Gold.  First, Brown and Black are 10.  When the third color band is the Gold, we put the dot between the first color and second color band. It is 1.0 and the unit is Ω.  So, the resistance is 1.0Ω or 1Ω.
6. Sixth resistor, Green, Black, Silver, and Gold. First, Green and Black are 50.  When the third color band is the Silver, we put the dot font the first color band. It is 0.50 and the unit is Ω.  So, the resistance is 0.50Ω or 0.5Ω.

Resistor 5% Value

If you are a beginner interested in the electronics, still have problems with the same way with me is choice of appropriate equipment such as a resistor that has several value until does not use correctly. When we design circuits. But do not know how. The value resistors are sold in the equipment shops generally or not. In order not to lose time, we see the value standard resistor have 5% error, Which is cheap and easy to buy of course, as detailed in the table below. ?