Datalogging in Science

Ideas for further investigations

Current Sensor Investigations

Ohm’s Law
Series & Parallel circuits
Alternative power investigations
e.g. solar cells
Battery Life
Heat & Electric Current
Electrical Component Characteristics
Voltage/Current relationships

Voltage Sensors Investigations


Ohm’s Law
Series and parallel circuits
Alternative power investigations
e.g. solar cells
Battery life
Heat and electric current
Electrical component characteristics

Motion Sensor Investigations


Walking toward or away from Sensor
Movement on a ramp
Simple harmonic motion
Newton’s laws of motion
Pendulum motions
Air track gliders
Objects dropped or thrown upward
A bouncing object

Light gate Investigations


Dynamics experiments involving
time, speed, velocity, acceleration
using inclined planes and air track.
Pendulum investigations.
Measuring period of an oscillating body.

Temperature Investigations

Monitoring indoor and outdoor temperature
Weather Studies
Insulation studies
Solar Homes
Monitoring Endothermic and Exothermic reactions
Solubility of Salts
Studying Freezing and Boiling points
Cooling Rates
Evaporation
Radiation, Conduction and Convection
Energy content of fuels and foods
Heat of Fusion investigations

Pressure Investigations

Gasometery in chemical reactions
e.g. Investigating Rates of Reaction.
Temperature/volume relationships.
Vapour pressure of liquids.
Rate of Respiration investigations
(e.g. germinating seeds).
Monitoring barometric pressure
in weather studies.
Yeast Fermentation
(e.g. carbon dioxide production).
Osmosis investigations.
Rate of Transpiration investigations
(e.g. plant on a windy or sunny day).

Sound Investigations


Animal Activity Studies
Field Studies
Noise Pollution
Sound Insulation
Sound Decay
Sound Frequency
Air Resonance
Investigating Sound Waves
produced by musical instruments

Light level Investigations


Environmental monitoring
Weather study to monitor sunrise and sunset times
Photovoltaic panel performance
Inverse square law (fall in light intensity from a bulb)

Heart Rate Investigations

Monitoring changes with mild stimulants
(e.g. cups of coffee)
Variation in blood flow (e.g. people who suffer with cold hands will show a very low blood flow in their veins).
Investigating pulse rate with different body positions (sitting, crouching,
standing).
The effect of music on pulse rate.
The effect of the strictest teacher entering the room!

Uv radiation Investigations


Absorption of ultraviolet by different types of clothing (not related to colour)
Whether the colour of clothing affects absorption of UV
Investigate the UV protection provided by sunglasses
Absorption of UV light by different materials
like plastic, glass, soft drinks, etc.
Fluorescent rocks
Fluorescent dyes from washing powders
that absorb UV and then emit light
Variation of UV along a fluorescent tube
compared to light output