Learning Competency:
• Decode values of resistors
through color coding.
Introduction:
Resistors are components that
possess a value of resistance to current
flow. The higher the resistance of the
resistor, the lower the current flowing in
the conductor. Figure 1 shows the
schematic diagram of a resistor.
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of the resistor.
The size of the resistor is very
small and printing of the resistance
value and tolerance on its case may
not be possible. Therefore,
color‑coded bands are used to display
the value of the resistance. The strips
can be seen and read in any position
that the resistor is placed.
Activity 1:
Electrical connections make use of
devices called resistors to regulate the
flow of current. The resistance of the
resistor is indicated at the exterior or
written in the form of color code.
Generally, the resistors have three or
four colored bands.
The first two digits of the resistance
are represented by the first two
bands of the resistor. The next band
or the third colored band represents
the power of ten multiplier. The
fourth band represents the
manufactured tolerance. A silver
band is + 10% and a gold band is +
5%. No fourth band means + 20%.
Example:
• The brown band is the first digit that
corresponds to (1).
• The green band is the second digit which
corresponds to (5).
• The red band, the third band, tells the
number of zeros that correspond to (00).
This is added to the first two digits.
• The silver band, the fourth band
indicates the tolerance value of the
resistor which is 10%. As a result, the
resistance value of the resistor is 1500
ohms with 10% tolerance.
There are some cases where the
third band does not mean the number
of zeros. If the third band is gold for
resistor values of less than 10 ohms.
With these, the first two digits should be
multiplied by 0.1. If the third band is
silver for resistor values of less than 1
ohm. With these, the first two digits are
multiplied by 0.01.
Activity 2:
Problem:
A resistor has these color bands:
red, blue, yellow, and silver. What is its
resistance?
Activity 2:
Problem:
A resistor has these color bands: red, blue,
yellow, and silver. What is its resistance?
Solution:
• The first band, red has a value of 2.
• The second band, blue has a value of 6.
• The third band, yellow has a value of 0,000.
• The fourth band, silver has a value of + 10%.
• So, the resistance value is 260, 000 Ω with
tolerance of +10%.
Guide Questions:
1. How do you write the resistance of the color-coded resistors?
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2. Which of the resistors have the highest value of resistance?
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3. Which of the resistors have the lowest value of resistance?
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4. Why are resistors color coded?
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Reflection:
What have you learned
from the topic?
