Question Video: Identifying the Symbol for a Resistor | Nagwa Question Video: Identifying the Symbol for a Resistor | Nagwa

Question Video: Identifying the Symbol for a Resistor Science • Third Year of Preparatory School

Which of the following is the correct circuit symbol for a resistor with a fixed value? [A] Option A [B] Option B [C] Option C [D] Option D [E] Option E

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Video Transcript

Which of the following is the correct circuit symbol for a resistor with a fixed value? Is it option (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E)?

The question is asking for the symbol of a resistor with a fixed value, meaning not a variable resistor, but a resistor that has a constant resistance. Let’s look at the different symbols given and identify them. The first symbol in option (A) has a zigzag shape, and it also has an arrow that crosses it. This is the symbol for a variable resistor, that is, a resistor whose resistance can change and is not fixed. It is often adjusted by turning a knob or using a slider. If it helps us to remember the symbol, we might like to think of the zigzag as representing a wire with high resistance that has been wrapped around a ceramic tube. And when we look at it from the side, it looks like a zigzag. We can think of the arrow as representing a resistance that can be changed.

The second symbol in option (B) corresponds to a buzzer, which is a connected half circle. To remember this symbol, we could imagine the top flat edge as the buzzer symbol vibrating to create a buzzing noise by creating sound waves in the surrounding air. The symbol in option (C) is an X inside a circle, and this indicates that it is a bulb. We can imagine the circle as the glass bulb, with the X representing the glowing filament inside.

The symbol in option (D) is a zigzag, and as we know already, this is a resistor. Without the arrow we saw previously in option (A), this means it has a fixed resistance that does not change. The symbol in option (E) represents electrical power cells that are connected by a dashed line. This indicates that there are two or more cells connected to form a battery.

Thus, we’ve seen that the correct answer is option (D). This shows the symbol for a resistor with a fixed value.

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