EMS 172L: Structure and Characterization of Materials Laboratory

Demo #1 –– Resistors: Measurements and Tolerances

Purpose:
We will be measuring the resistance of commercial resistors using two methods, in order to
determine the reliability of our supplier. During this demo you will be working with breadboards,
basic circuit construction, collecting measurements, and calculating uncertainty and error
propagation.

Background:
All materials, save superconductors, have the electronic property of resistivity. In a later lab we
will measure this intrinsic property, but for the moment we will focus on the more easily
measurable extensive property of resistance. For that, we will be looking at the most basic circuit
element. Resistors, while a simple component, are incredibly important to circuit design. Without
them many important circuits such as voltage dividers or frequency filters would not function.
These passive components have two terminals, and a series of colored bands which show the
specified resistance of that particular resistor. For applications using resistors, the reliability of the
component is critical. Manufacturers and suppliers provide an estimated lifetime for the
component, as well as a target resistance. As each resistor is slightly different, along with the target
resistance a tolerance is provided. When integrating these components into a circuit, engineers
must ensure that the circuit will function for any value within the resistor’s given tolerance. This
in turn requires the resistors to actually perform within the tolerance given. This makes quality
control of these simple devices critical.

Prelab questions (For Your Consideration Only):

1) What would happen to a first order high pass filter circuit if the resistor was not to
specification?
2) What might cause one resistor in a batch to have a different resistance from another in the
same batch?

Procedure:
Part 1 – Multimeter
1. Select one batch of resistors, and record their given resistance and tolerance. If no
tolerance is specified, the supplier tolerance is ±1%.
2. Using the multimeter, measure the resistance of each of the resistors in your batch.
Include the measurement error from the multimeter manufacturer with each
measurement.
3. Repeat with 2 more times until 3 batches have been tested.
Part 2 – Power Source
1. Using your groups breadboard and the provided circuit diagram, take 1 resistor from
each batch to be measured.
2. Using the power source, apply a current to the resistor and measure the voltage through
the source display. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: The resistors are rated
up to ¼ watts. Do not apply more power than the component can handle, or you may
damage the resistor and possibly start a small fire.
3. Measure 10 different voltages at 10 different currents.
 4. Repeat using a resistor from each other batch you measured in part 1.

Engineering Memo Requirements:

For this memo, you are working as a quality control engineer at a company that will be
producing signal filters used in measuring a patient’s heart rate. As part of a new cost saving
measure, your employer is looking to switch to a new supplier for some electrical components.
The given specifications meet the device requirements, but for legal reasons you must verify that
the supplier’s specifications are accurate. You have been tasked with determining if the
components meet the given specifications and giving your recommendation as to whether to use
this new component supplier or not.

In the memo you will give the suppliers specifications for each resistor, then your own results.
Provide the average, range, and standard deviation for each batch measured by multimeter. Then
provide the resistance given for each resistor measured by fitting the data gathered by the power
source measurements. Based on these results you will give your recommendation.

As attachments to the memo you will include three tables, and a figure. These will represent the
results of your experiments, for auditing purposes.