This article shows how students can be taught the concept of using a transducer to measure the temperature with a very simple electronic circuit in which a NTC thermistor acts as sensor. Only a basic knowledge of the main properties of transistors and thermistors is required. […]
A simple experiment for measuring the velocity of sound in air using two hollow metal cylinders, a microphone and a digital oscilloscope is described. Knowing the distance between microphone and cylinders the velocity of sound is easily computed by measuring the time interval between banging them together and the microphone’s reception of the sound. […]
On-line data acquisition systems have disclosed new possibilities for teaching physics laboratory. A cheap and easy apparatus, as the one here described, allows to easily perform interesting experiments or to re-design old experiments making them suitable for schools that have no laboratory, […]
A pendulum whose piane of oscillation can be inclined at will between vertical and horizontal was designed, built and used to measure the effect of varying g on its period of oscillation. […]
A computer-aided data acquisition and analysis tool is proposed for studying the behaviour of a pendulum coupled to a low-friction rotary sensor. […]
An electronic way to measure the mechanical torque developed by an electric motor is noted. The measurement is made solely on the stator. […]
A simple low cost homemade device that converts radio wave energy from a mobile phone signal to electricity for lighting an LED is described. No battery or complex circuitry is required. The device allows a range of interesting experiments on the physics and technology of mobile phones. […]
By making paper balls with crumpled sheets of paper and studying the functional relationship between their mean diameters versus their mass it is possible to introduce the concept of fractional dimensions to students. […]
Measuring light spectra with a simple homemade grating spectroscope. […]