Page 9 - The Basics IA by ETron Circuit Labs

Lab 4 Reading Capacitor ValuesIn this lab, there are two types of Capacitors. There are DISC type and the ELECTROLYTIC type, as shown in the pictorials on the right.The DISC Capacitors in your lab are marked with 103 and 104. They may also be marked “0.1” or “0.01”.Because there is not enough room to write out the true value of the Capacitor, a shorthand method was created. Instead of writing 10,000 Pf on a Capacitor, you write 103. In place of 100,000 Pf, you would write 104.For example, to convert 103 to its true value in picofarads (Pf), you think of one, zero, plus 3 zeroes, or 10,000 Pf. Thus, 104 becomes one, zero, plus 4 zeroes, or 100,000 Pf. 503 becomes 50,000pf, and 473 becomes 47,000 Pf.Then, to convert picofarads to microfarads, just move the decimal point 6 places to the left. Thus, 10,000pf = 0.01 Mfd. 100,000 Pf = 0.1 Mfd, and so on. 503 becomes 0.05 Mfd, and 473 becomes 0.047 Mfd.103 = 10 000 or 10,000 Pf = 0.01 Mfd 10310 000 pf=0.01Mfd 104 = 10 0000 or 100,000 Pf = 0.1 Mfd0.1uF 10 410 0000pf=0.1Mfd104Electrolytic Capacitors usually have polarity and are marked using a (-) for negative and a (+) for positive. The negative side may have a solid band along it, sometimes with negative signs (----) and arrows >> inside the band. The wire coming out of the Capacitor from the negative side is shorter than the wire coming out of the positive side.1000uFNegative (-) Positive (+)Now, find the Electrolytic Capacitors in your lab and determine which on is the 10 Mfd, 100 Mfd, and 1000 Mfd.Look for the band with the arrows and negative signs (-).Now, look for the shorter wire coming out of the capacitor to determine which lead is negative and which lead is positive.Here’s What You’ll Need...DISC CAPACITORS0.1uF 0.1uFELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS10uF100uF100uF1000uF104 10410uF100uF100uF1000uFSCAN HERE TO SEE MORE ONLINE7LAB 3&41030.01uF103 1030.01uF 0.01uFVisit us online at www.ETronCircuit.com for more exciting projects