Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I identify a resistor?
Each color band on a resistor is associated with a number as follows:
Color
Number
Black
0
Brown
1
Red
2
Orange
3
Yellow
4
Green
5
Blue
6
Purple
7
Gray
8
White
9
On a 4-band resistor, third band is the
multiplier band. The adjacent picture
shows how to read the bands on the resistor.
How do I read the pins on an IC?
Pin no. 1 on the IC is usually marked with an engraved dot. Hold the IC such
that the pins are facing away from you, and number the pins anticlockwise,
beginning at pin with the dot.
How do I identify a diode and it’s direction?
Diodes normally have glassy casing, and
are marked with a band on one end.
The band end is the ‘cathode’ and the
other end is the ‘anode’. Within the
diode, the current flows from anode to
cathode.
On the Schematic, the cathode end is represented as the tip of the arrow.
How do I identify LED polarity?
Hold the LED against the light, and when you
look at the metal elements inside, you will notice
that one half is bigger than the other and looks
like a flag, this is the ‘cathode’ (or negative) end
of the LED.
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