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I’ve been trying to learn how to use my MPU6050 chip.

According to all of the tutorials/diagrams I’ve seen (one pictured below,) I don’t need to put a resistor in front of the MPU6050.

Why is that? Aren’t resistors supposed to limit current from damaging your part (the MPU6050)?

enter image description here

JRE
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MIfoodie
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    Could you give some context here? Where do you want to put a resistor? – user1850479 Aug 09 '22 at 01:08
  • @user1850479 I’m not wanting to put a resistor anywhere, I’m just wondering why it’s not required to have a resistor between the 5v and the VCC – MIfoodie Aug 09 '22 at 01:10
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    @MIfoodie think about this ... do you place a resistor between your toaster and the power outlet? – jsotola Aug 09 '22 at 01:34

1 Answers1

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Most things in electronics are designed to operate from a fixed voltage, and will only draw whatever current they require at that voltage. There is no need to add additional components to limit the current drawn.

LEDs are different, and are probably where you got the idea of using a current-limiting resistor.

The voltage across a lit LED is determined by the LED's chemistry and colour, and will vary only slightly over a wide range of current. Therefore, LEDs must not be driven from a fixed voltage supply - rather they need a current-limited supply that will supply a fixed (or nearly fixed) current for a range of load voltages. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to use a resistor in series with the LED.

For high-power LEDs, it is common to use a "constant-current" power supply which will maintain a fixed output current over a range of output voltage.

Peter Bennett
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