What is the Color Code for a 10k Ohm Resistor?
On this page, you'll find the exact color bands for 10k (10,000 ohm) resistors in 4-band, 5-band, and 6-band configurations. Use this information for your electronics projects or as a quick reference when identifying resistors.
4-Band 10k Resistor Color Code
For a standard 4-band 10k ohm resistor, the color bands are as follows:
- 1st Band (Significant Figure): Brown
- 2nd Band (Significant Figure): Black
- 3rd Band (Multiplier): Orange
- 4th Band (Tolerance): Typically Gold (±5%) or Silver (±10%)
Therefore, a 4-band 10k resistor is usually identified by the colors: Brown, Black, Orange, Gold or Brown, Black, Orange, Silver.
The sequence of the bands should be read from left to right, starting with the band closest to one of the leads.
4-Band 10k Resistor
Value: 10,000 Ω (10k) ±5%
Brown, Black, Orange, Gold
5-Band 10k Resistor Color Code
For a more precise 5-band 10k ohm resistor, the color bands are:
- 1st Band (Significant Figure): Brown
- 2nd Band (Significant Figure): Black
- 3rd Band (Significant Figure): Black
- 4th Band (Multiplier): Red
- 5th Band (Tolerance): Typically Brown (±1%), Red (±2%), or Green (±0.5%)
Thus, a 5-band 10k resistor is typically: Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown (±1%), Brown, Black, Black, Red, Red (±2%), or Brown, Black, Black, Red, Green (±0.5%).
5-band resistors offer higher accuracy due to the additional significant figure band.
5-Band 10k Resistor
Value: 10,000 Ω (10k) ±1%
Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown
6-Band 10k Resistor Color Code
A 6-band 10k ohm resistor builds upon the 5-band configuration by adding a temperature coefficient band:
- 1st Band (Significant Figure): Brown
- 2nd Band (Significant Figure): Black
- 3rd Band (Significant Figure): Black
- 4th Band (Multiplier): Red
- 5th Band (Tolerance): Typically Brown (±1%), Red (±2%), or Green (±0.5%)
- 6th Band (Temperature Coefficient): Varies depending on the resistor type (e.g., Brown: 100 ppm/K)
Therefore, a common 6-band 10k resistor might be: Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown, Brown.
The sixth band indicates the temperature coefficient, which specifies how much the resistor's value changes with temperature.
6-Band 10k Resistor
Value: 10,000 Ω (10k) ±1%, 100ppm/K
Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown, Brown
Quick Lookup: 10k Resistor Color Codes
| Number of Bands | Color Code | Typical Tolerance | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Band | Brown, Black, Orange, Gold | ±5% | 10,000 Ω (10k) |
| 4-Band | Brown, Black, Orange, Silver | ±10% | 10,000 Ω (10k) |
| 5-Band | Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown | ±1% | 10,000 Ω (10k) |
| 6-Band | Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown, Brown | ±1%, 100ppm/K | 10,000 Ω (10k) |
Need to Decode Other Resistor Values?
Use our free online Resistor Color Code Calculator to find the color codes for any resistor value or to calculate the value from the color bands.
Resistor Color Code Chart
Refer to our comprehensive Resistor Color Code Chart for a complete list of colors and their corresponding values, multipliers, tolerances, and temperature coefficients.
What is a 10k Ohm Resistor?
A 10k ohm resistor is a resistor with an electrical resistance of 10,000 ohms. It is a very common value used in a wide range of electronic circuits for various purposes.
Common applications for 10k resistors include:
- Pull-up and pull-down resistors in digital circuits
- Voltage dividers in sensor circuits
- Biasing transistors in amplifier circuits
- Timing circuits with capacitors
- Input protection for microcontrollers and other ICs