Probleware
Free probeware | Commercial Probeware | Calculator Based Labs
(1) Free Probeware Resources
(a) Audio analysis
- A computer equipped with a microphone is well designed to study sound. Download an audio analyzer program from download.com (search for oscilloscope or audio frequency analyzer. You may wish to try audacity for Mac). Obtain a picture of a sine wave for two tuning forks with different frequencies. What is the relationship between wavelength and pitch?
(b) Vision analysis
- Run the vision tests and answer the following questions? Do the tests indicate any of the following: macular degeneration, protanopia, deuteranopia, red-green color blindness, problems with the pupil or focusing of one or both eyes that cause glare or blur, problems with the detection of the image by the retina or its transmission to the brain through the optic nerve that cause smudges in the field of vision, or problems with the brain in its attempt to combine the images from the two eyes into one image with depth perception?
- Include a screen shot of an optical illusion that you may be able to use in your classroom, and explain how you would use it.
(c) Response time & time estimation
- Is your response time faster with audio or visual stimuli?
- How good is your estimate of time? What is your relative error for an estimate of 30 seconds ? RE= [(observed - actual)/(actual)]x100%
(2) Data acquisition with probes
Investigation: Inverse Square Law
Illustrate the inverse square law for illuminance using light probes, or the inverse square law for magnetic interaction using the magnetic sensor probes. Remember that ambient light and magnetic fields will influence your results.
Illuminance: ( E=illuminance; I= intensity of source; D=distance)
Magnetic force (M1 and M2= magnetic pole strengths, D=distance, k=constant)
Include a table and graph of your data and briefly discuss your results.
(3) SIMULTANEOUS PLOTS OF PROBEWARE OUTPUTS
Investigation: The influence of solutes upon the heating/boiling characteristics of water
Study the effect of solutes upon the heating and boiling characteristics of water. Fill one beaker with water, and another with a salt solution. Place temperature probes in each of the two beakers, and place both beakers on the same hot plate that has been pre-heated to maximum temperature. (a) Include labeled printouts showing the heating curves of both beakers as a function of time. (b) What, if any, influence do the dissolved salt have upon the heating and boiling characteristics of water? Explain using your data.
(4) DATA ANALYSIS OF PROBEWARE OUTPUT - skip
Investigation: Energy & Power
Construct a graph that shows net energy consumption (calories) as a function of time. A calorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise one gram of water one degree Celsius. Thus, if you know the mass of water heated (since the density of water is 1 g/mL, the volume in mL has the same numeric value as the mass in grams) , and the temperature change (the data collected in part 2), you can create a graph showing net calorie consumption. (a) Include a plot of total energy consumption as a function of time. (b) At what time was the energy consumption per unit time (power consumption) greatest? Include a screen shot showing the tangent at the point with the steepest slope.
(5) DATA ACQUISITION WITH INDEPENDENT VARIABLES OTHER THAN TIME - skip
Investigation: Boyle's Law
Although most probeware continuously records data as a function of time, it is possible to change the independent variable to another measure. In this activity we shall investigate Boyle's Law (P1V1=P2V2 ) by plotting the pressure of a sealed container as a function of its volume. Include a printout of the results and a brief discussion of their meaning.
(6) DESIGN YOUR OWN EXPERIMENT WITH PROBEWARE
Perform an experiment using one or more of the following probeware modules. Describe the experiment and its results, and include pictures of your data. (Direct-connect temperature probe, Standard Temperature probe, Quick-Response Temperature Probe, pH Amplifier, pH electrode, pressure sensor, colorimeter, thermocouple, light sensor, magnetic field sensor, barometer, relative humidity sensor, heart rate monitor, student force sensor, voltage measurement leads, ultrasonic motion detector, force probe, radiation monitor.)
Experiment ideas: Simple harmonic motion of a pendulum or spring (force probe), analysis of the monitor refresh rate (light probe), effect of exercise upon pulse rate (hear rate monitor), Charles law (pressure probe), etc.
(7) USING PROBEWARE TO TEST UNDERSTANDING OF CONCEPTS
Investigation: Motion (distance, velocity, acceleration)
Examine each of the graphs below. Picture in your mind the motion that is being described, and then walk in such a way that the position, velocity, or acceleration of your body is reflected in the graph. Use the ultrasonic motion detector to analyze your movement and perform a screen capture of each activity.
