Label the Resistor - AgTech

1. Lay your resistor on a piece of paper.

2. Circle and label the resistor.

3. Draw the symbol for the resistor next to the resistor.

4. Note the wires, or legs, at each end of the resistor are the same length.

STEM Connections

A resistor is used to resist the flow of electric current. Adding a resistor to an electrical circuit causes less electric current to flow than if the circuit did not have the resistor. The colored bands around a resistor indicates how much resistance it has. The resistance is measured in Ohms. 

At the Thinkabit Lab, we discuss the resistor as follows:

1. Ask students to label the resistor, so that when they make the circuit they can quickly identify different components.

2. Ask students to identify the key word in “resistor”. They should all tell you, resist. A resistor’s job is basically to resist the flow of electricity. We use a resistor so that we do not burn out the LED.  Explain to students that their LED needs about 3 volts of electricity to work properly, but we are going to be using 5 volts, so we need the resistor to help protect the LED from burning out.

3. Have your students use their observation skills on the resistor. Again, they should see that there are two wires, or legs, but this time the wires are the same length.  This tells us that the resistor does not have polarity.

Resistor legs are bent

1. The legs of the resistor can be bent or reshaped, as needed.

2. Replace the resistor if it breaks. It is normal for the resistor to break after repeated reshaping of the legs.