The standard resistor
color code is shown on the back of the door to the lab. Here is a quick synopsis:
Most resistors have four colored bands. The first three bands indicate the nominal
value of the resistor and the fourth band indicates the tolerance in value. The first
two bands form the mantissa, and the third the exponent of 10.
The tolerance band is typically either gold or silver. A gold tolerance
band indicates that the measured value will be within 5% of the nominal value. A
silver band indicates 10% tolerance.
For example a resistor with color code
brown-black-red-silver indicates a nominal value of 1 k
. The first two bands
(brown-black) produce the mantissa (10) and the third band (red) is the exponent of
ten (
). So the value is 
. Since the tolerance band
is silver, we can expect the measured value of the resistor to be
between 900 
and 1100 
.
resistor (color coded brown-black-red).
2W.
Determine the actual value of the resistor. The words ``actual" and ``measured" may be used
interchangeably.
as indicated by its color code.
You will now create a sequence of carbon resistors. Based on their measured values, you will draw conclusions about the relationship between their physical dimensions and resistance.