A resistor is a component that resists the flow of electrical energy. As a result, resistors can change the voltage and current in the circuit. Resistor values are measured in ohms (Ω). The colored stripes, which is called color code, on the resistor indicate its resistance value and tolerance. The color codes are read from left to right. There is a big gap between two rings, which indicates the reading direction. The first three color rings represent the digit (first two color rings if it is 4-Band). The next ring represents the multiplier and the ring after the gap indicates the tolerance of resistor. For example, the 5-band color code in the following figure is Yellow-Purple-Black-Orange. So, the resistance is 470×1kΩ ± 1%. You can use Digi key Resistor Color Code Calculator to find the resistor reading quickly. Another way to find the resistance of a resistor quickly is to use a multimeter.
