Top resistors

In what country is an, "alligator clip" referred to as a, "crocodile clip?" I'm guessing Oscilloscope is not your first language. The tip that is ATTACHED to the other lead of the resistor; is of the, "retractable hook" variety. They lock QUITE SECURELY onto whatever lead they are applied, and provide an excellent connection.

OK- In 40yrs of electronics; I've never heard the term, "Crocodile clip." Now- having looked it up, I suppose it was inevitable that someone would coin the phrase. The rest of my post stands pat.

Even in Australia where I come from - and where we have crocs, and not 'gators - these were known as "alligator clips".

The alligator has a rounded U-shaped snout whereas a crocodile has a narrower V-shaped snout. The clips more resemble an alligator's jaws.

Regards,

crocodile clip is chiefly British - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodile_clip

Moving on... it doesn't look to me the tip is attached to the lead, but I guess it could be; looks floating from this vantage point. Another interesting question is, why is he using the "alligator" clip in one but not the other; why wouldn't he be using the same thing on both ends.

More to the point though, do you really believe a resistor would truly measure differently based on "direction", as if it has some sort of partial diode effect? And the person who posted that link said it all made sense to him - what exactly made sense?

The typical O-Scope probe has a ground wire(with an alligator clip), that connects to the side of it's insulator body. The heavily protected(insulated) retractable hook probe, then can be connected to any lead, within(say) a component's chassis, for testing at various points in it's circuitry. All the resistors, shown in the pictures(of Mr E's site), are wirewounds. That means they contain drawn wire. Metallic wire molecules are of a crystaline construction and assume a directional, chevron shape, when drawn(ie: >>>>>> ). It's inferred by many, that the boundaries of the crytals can/will act as diodes, and may be the reason wire seems directional. That(partially) accounts for the popularity of Ohno Constant Casting(OCC or Mono Crystal), copper or silver wire, in the construction of cabling and interconnects.