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Meriden Public Schools Adult and Continuing Education:
Resource Review: Physics Lab*
Teacher:
Frederick Wallace
Type of Resource:
Software and specialized equipment
Description:
Vernier Software probes allow students and the
teacher to measure quantities such as velocity, acceleration,
potential and kinetic energy, etc. while doing labs and demonstrations.
Logger Pro allows students to study relationships using graphs.
How the resource was used in class:
I use the probes to explain and measure quantities
studied in my science class. In this particular lab/demonstration
I use the carts to study Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws as well
as potential and kinetic energy in a way that was extremely difficult
before technology.
The things I like most about the resource
are as follows:
It allows students to see, nearly instantly, what is happening
during the lab/demonstration. Students are then able to relate
the graphical data to actual cart movements.
Limitations and suggestions to overcome
shortcomings:
Computers and related equipment can fail or
lose calibration. We’ve had a few ‘crashes’
due to the security programming and power failures have occurred
on two occasions. I’ve considered buying UPS systems for
the probe computer and equipment.
*from Technology Implementation —
End-of-Year Report as of June
30, 2003, compiled
by James Ieronimo, Director
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