LABORATORY 1

BASIC COMPONENT OF ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

OBJECTIVES

1. To read resistance values based on color codes.

1. To identify the resistance values using the multi meter.

3. To practice handling the resistances on the breadboard.

THEORY OVERVIEW

BASIC COMPONENT OF ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

A. RESISTOR

The resistor is 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 multi meter. 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 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.

The color code technique is used to show resistance values of carbon resistors (Figure 1.1)
without having to measure it. In this technique color bands are printed on the resistor. The
procedure for determining the resistance of a color-coded resistance is described in Table 1.1.
The first two bands determine the first two digits of the resistor value, while the third band
determines the power of 10-multiplier. For the resistor with value less than 10  the third band
is either silver or gold. The forth band is the percent tolerance for the chosen resistor. If resistors
have only three bands, it means the forth band has no color. Sometimes a fifth band is employed
for some high precision resistor where the first three bands represent the significant digit. The
forth band is the multiplier while the fifth band is the tolerance.

In writing the value of resistors: k stands for multiplier “kilo” and M for multiplier “mega”.

The standard code is adopted by manufacturer through their trade association, the Electronic
Industries Association (EIA).

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Table 1.1: Resistor color coding

1st Band 2nd Band 4th Band
3rd Band
Color (1st Significant (2nd Significant (Tolerance)
(Multiplier)
Digit) Digit)
Black 0 0 1
Brown 1 1 101 1%
Red 2 2 102 2%
Orange 3 3 103 3%
Yellow 4 4 104 4%
Green 5 5 105
Blue 6 6 106
Violet 7 7 107
Grey 8 8 108
White 9 9 109
Gold - - 0.1 5%
Silver - - 0.01 10%
No Color - - - 20%

Figure 1.1: Reading resistor color coding

Example 1:

The value of this resistor is 25 x 101±

10% = 250± 10% ohms

Minimum value – 225 

Maximum value – 275 

Example 2:

R33F = 0.33 ±1%  6k8J = 6.8 x 103  ±5%

4k7 = 4.7 x 103  R39 = 0.39 
10R0 = 10  2k2M = 1.2 x 103 ±20%
200R = 200  1R0 = 1 

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B. CAPACITOR

Most of the capacitors (Figure 1.2) have their nominal value printed directly on them using
digital/alphabet code according to the EIA coding system. This code is generally given in
picofarads (pF), which means that we need to manipulate the value if we want the value in
microfarads (F) or nanofarads (nF).

Some capacitors have polarity (positive and negative) which must be connected according to
their polarity in order for the capacitor to operate such as the electrolytic capacitors. Normally
the negative leg of electrolytic capacitor could be recognized by the white stripes at the body
and/or the negative leg is shorter than the positive leg.

Some types of capacitors are shown in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.2: Different types of capacitors construction

Example 3:

Capacitor marked 104 has value of 10 with 4 zeroes after it, or 100,000pF (equivalent
to 100 nF or 0.1 F)
Capacitor marked 681 = 68 with single zero or 680 pF
Capacitor marked 472 = 47 with 2 zeroes or 4700 pF (equivalent to 4.7nF)

Example 4:

Capacitor marked 220n has 220nF capacitances (equivalent to 0.22F)

Capacitor marked 3n3 has 3.3nF capacitances (equivalent to 3300pF)
Some of the capacitors have a capital letter to indicate their tolerance rating. Below is
capacitor tolerance marking codes:

F G J K M Z
 1%  2%  5%  10%  20% -20%, +80%

Example 5:

104K = 0.1F  10%, 4n7J = 4.7nF  5%

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C. INDUCTOR

An inductor (Figure 1.3) is a passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of a
magnetic field. In its simplest form, an inductor consists of a wire loops or coil. The inductance
is directly proportional to the number of turns in the coil. Inductance also depends on the radius
of the coil and on the type of material around which the coil is wound.

The standard unit of inductance is the Henry, abbreviated H.

Figure 1.3: Different types of Inductor

Nominal value
Display Value (1st Digit) (2nd Digit) (Multiplier)
101 1 0 101 100 µH

If there is an R, its acts as a decimal point, and there is no multiplier, 4R7 = 4.7μH

Sometimes the precision of the inductor will be marked, using a final letter F, G, J, K,
or M

F G J K M
 1%  2%  5%  10%  20%

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D. MULTI METER

1. Turn the switch to point to a resistance range (usually marked OHM×1 K, or

similar)

Blue Ohm Scale

2. Touch the tips of the Red and Black probe meter leads together. Then use the Zero
Ohms Adjust (0ΩADJ) knob to adjust the needle to read Zero Ohms. It should cross
exactly on the number 0.

3. The process of zeroing the multi meter must be done when use to measure resistance
with the change of difference resistance range. This process is to make sure the
resistance measurement is correct.

4. Example -The selector switch is set in the X10 position and a measurement of 15
Ohms on the meter. The actual resistance is 15 x10 = 150 Ω being measured.

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5. The figure below shows the measurement done by using multi meter and breadboard.

E. PROTO BOARD / BREAD BOARD

A breadboard (Figure 1.4) is used to make up temporary circuits for testing or to try
out an idea. No soldering is required so it is easy to change connections and replace
components. Parts will not be damaged so they will be available to re-use afterwards.

Figure 1.4: A typical proto board or breadboard used in the laboratory

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The breadboard has many strips of metal (usually copper) which run underneath the
board as shown in Figure 1.5.

Figure 1.5: The metal strips layout or internal wiring of a protoboard / breadboard

The breadboard connectivity identification by using an analogue multi meter

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ACTIVITY

READING RESISTOR VALUES BY COLOR CODING

1. Identify the nominal values and the tolerances and record the corresponding color
code bands in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1 Resistor values by nominal values

No. Nominal Value COLOR BAND
(Ohm) Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Band 4
1. 180 ± 5%
1. 27 ± 10%
3. 680 ± 5%
4. 1.5 k ± 20%
5. 3.6 k ± 10%
6. 7.5 k ± 5%
7. 10 k ± 5%
8. 47 k ± 10%
9. 820 k ± 10%
10. 1.2 M ± 20 %

1. Identify the nominal value of a particular resistor based on color coding technique for
each case and record in Table 1.2.

Table 1.2: Resistor values by color coding

No. COLOR BAND Nominal Tolerance Minimum Maximum
Band Band Band Band Value
1 2 3 4 (Ohm)
1. brown black red gold
1. blue grey brown gold
3. yellow violet orange gold
4. red red orange gold
5. red red black silver
6. green blue brown gold
7. green black green silver
8. blue gray black silver
9. orange orange orange silver
10. red violet red gold

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3. Based on a given set of resistors, record the color codes, nominal value and measured
the value by using multi meter. Tabulate the data in Table 1.3.

Table 1.3: Resistor values by measurement

No. COLOR BAND Nominal Measured
Value Value
Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Band 4
(Ohm) (Ohm)
1.
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

IDENTIFY RESISTOR AND CAPACITOR VALUES BY DIGITAL/ALPHABET CODING

Determine the nominal value of a particular resistor/capacitor based on digital/alphabet coding

technique for each case given in Table 1.4 and Table 1.5.

Table 1.4: RESISTOR values by digital/alphabet coding

DIGITAL/ALPHABET CODE NOMINAL VALUE (in ohm)
3k9
1R0
8M5
R56

Table 1.5: CAPACITOR values by digital/alphabet coding

DIGITAL/ALPHABET CODE NOMINAL VALUE (in nanofarad)
33J
104
3n3J
103Z

#-o-#

EKT 101 Electric Circuit Theory 9 Edition 2019