Sensors

Electronics
Resistive Sensors

Terry Sturtevant

Wilfrid Laurier University

May 31, 2017

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

electrical input transducer;

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

electrical input transducer;
output is some form of electrical property

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

electrical input transducer;
output is some form of electrical property
(i,v,r,c,l,nu, etc.)

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

electrical input transducer;
output is some form of electrical property
(i,v,r,c,l,nu, etc.)
input transducer = sensor

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Introduction to transducers

convert one form of energy to another

electrical input transducer;
output is some form of electrical property
(i,v,r,c,l,nu, etc.)
input transducer = sensor
output transducer = actuator

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer;

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor;

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor;

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor; the resistance varies with heat

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor; the resistance varies with heat
Strain gauge (or gage);

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor; the resistance varies with heat
Strain gauge (or gage); the resistance varies with stress or
compression

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor; the resistance varies with heat
Strain gauge (or gage); the resistance varies with stress or
compression
Force-dependent resistor;

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors

A resistive sensor is a resistor which changes according to some

physical change in its environment. Some examples would be:
Potentiometer; the resistance varies with physical movement
Photoresistor; the resistance varies with light
Thermistor; the resistance varies with heat
Strain gauge (or gage); the resistance varies with stress or
compression
Force-dependent resistor; the resistance varies with applied
pressure

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Here’s an example of how a strain gauge works.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistance

R = ρ AL

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

6
Resistance 

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

6
Resistance 

(L−∆L)
R 0 = ρ (A+∆A) <R

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistance

R = ρ AL

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistance ? -
6

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistance ? -
6

(L+∆L)
R 0 = ρ (A−∆A) >R

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Thermistors

Resistance
(Ω)

Temperature (◦ C)

This is the resistance/temperature curve for a thermistor.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Thermistors

Resistance
 (High temperature; Rmin )
(Ω)

Temperature (◦ C)

This is the resistance/temperature curve for a thermistor.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Thermistors

 (Low temperature; Rmax )

Resistance
 (High temperature; Rmin )
(Ω)

Temperature (◦ C)

This is the resistance/temperature curve for a thermistor.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

Vin

R1 I
 
R2
Vout = Vin R1 +R2

R2 I
True if Iout ≡ 0

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

If we want to put a variable resistor in a voltage divider, then

we need to choose the other resistor.

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

If we want to put a variable resistor in a voltage divider, then

we need to choose the other resistor.
To make the output vary over as large a range as possible as
the variable resistor goes from Rmin to Rmax , it turns out we
want to choose the other resistor, R so that

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors

 Resistive sensors
Sensors
Resistive sensors in voltage dividers

If we want to put a variable resistor in a voltage divider, then

we need to choose the other resistor.
To make the output vary over as large a range as possible as
the variable resistor goes from Rmin to Rmax , it turns out we
want to choose the other resistor, R so that
√
R = Rmin × Rmax

Terry Sturtevant Electronics Resistive Sensors