EXPERIMENT No.

3
RESISTOR COLOR CODE and USE of OHMMETER

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the value of a resistor from its color code.

2. To read the resistance value at a specified point on each of the ohmmeter scale on the multi-
tester.
3. To measure resistors of different values.
4. To measure the resistance across each combination of two of three terminals of a potentiometer
and observe the range change as the shaft of the potentiometer is varied through its entire range.

INSTRUMENTS and MATERIALS

VOM
10-kΩ potentiometer
10 pieces of assorted resistors

PROCEDURE

1.  Determine the value of each resistor supplied from each color code, fill in the information required in
Table 1.
2.  Prepare the multi-tester for resistance measurement. Measure the value of each resistor and record as
measured value.
3.  Compute for the % difference between coded and measured values using the formula

% Difference =

4.  Examine the potentiometer assigned to you. Call the terminals A, B and C.
5.  Connect the ohmmeter terminals across AC. Turn the potentiometer control completely clockwise.
Record the resistances R , R and R in Table 2.
AB AC BC

6. Set the control one-quarter of the way clockwise. Measure and record the resistance of R and R .
AC BC

Compute and record R + R .

AC BC

7. Set the control three-quarters of the way clockwise. Measure and record the resistance of R and R .
AC BC

Compute and record R + R .

AC BC
Table 1 Group 3

1 st
2 nd
3 rd
4th
5th
Coded Measured %
Resistor Tolerance
color color color color color value value difference
1 Orange Black Brown Gold - 30x10 Ω 29.49x10 Ω 5% 1.70

2 Orange Red Brown Gold - 32x10 Ω 32.23x10 Ω 5% -0.71

3 Orange Orange Black Gold - 33 Ω 33.11 Ω 5% -0.34

4 Orange Yellow Orange Gold - 34x103 Ω 33.89x103 Ω 5% 0.32

5 Orange Green Red Gold - 35x102 Ω 34.60x102 Ω 5% 1.15

6 Orange Blue Yellow Gold - 36x104 Ω 37.34x104 Ω 5% -3.72

7 Orange Violet Brown Gold - 37x10 Ω 37.24x10 Ω 5% -0.64

8 Orange White Red Gold - 39x102 Ω 38.11x102 Ω 5% 2.28

9 Orange Grey Orange Gold - 38x103 Ω 38.46x103 Ω 5% -1.21

10 Orange Brown Red Gold - 31x102 Ω 30.70x102 Ω 5% 0.96

Table 2

Potentiometer
setting R AB R AC R BC R +R
AC BC

(Ω) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)

Vary over its range 

Completely Clockwise
One-quarter of the way
Three-quarters of the
way

OBSERVATIONS
The coded value can be measured from 1 up to 1 billion ohms depending on the number of colors and the
multiplier. If the value of percentage difference is positive, the measured value is lower compared when in negative.

CONCLUSION
If we use the same value of percentage difference to compute the measured value but with different sign, we
would come up with a higher value from negative percentage difference than on positive.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1.   Identify the colors of the following resistors:

a. 386 ohms ± 5% Orange, Grey, Blue, Black, Gold
b.  69 ohms ± 5% Blue, White, Black, Gold
c. 125 ohms ± 5% Brown, Red, Green, Black, Gold
d. 250 ohms ± 10% Red, Green, Black, Black, Silver
e. 4.7 ohms ± 20% Yellow, Violet, Gold, Black

2.   Write the values of the following resistors:

a. yellow, blue, red, red 4600 Ω ± 2%
b. brown, black, gold, silver 1.0 Ω ± 10%
c. green, gray, yellow, gold 58000 Ω ± 5%
d. violet, green, red, black, brown 752 Ω ± 1%
e. white, blue, orange, brown, black 9630 Ω ± 20%

3.   Define the following:

a. resistor - a passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit
element
b. resistance – a measure of opposition to the flow of electric current.
c. circuit - a path for transmitting electric current.
d. short circuit - an abnormal condition of relatively low resistance between two points of different
potential in a circuit
e. open circuit - two terminals are points are externally disconnected, which is equivalent to a resistance
R=∞. This means that zero current can flow in a circuit.
f. closed circuit – two terminals are connected making it possible for current to flow.

4.   Get the maximum value and minimum value of the resistors in problem # 2.