Tagged: physics

characteristics of a thermistor

visitors this year: 130 A thermistor is an electronic component whose resistance changes with temperature. The voltage and current of a thermistor can be measured as the temperature changes. Sensors allow you to take...

magnetic field in a coil

visitors this year: 96 You can ‘see’ magnetic fields using iron filings. You can measure the strength of magnetic fields using a magnetic field sensor connected to a computer. How, for example, does that...

current-voltage relationships

visitors this year: 50 In this experiment the resistance of a lamp, resistor or diode is measured as the current is varied. Voltage and current sensors make the measurements while the software plots the...

capacitor discharge

visitors this year: 39 The voltage and current in a circuit change when a capacitor charges and discharges. Computer sensors can measure these changes and software can plot a graph as fast as this...

types of battery 2

visitors this year: 38 Batteries or electrical cells are made using different substances. There are zinc dry-cells, alkaline cells and lead-acid accumulators. When you use them, the chemicals become exhausted at different rates. So...

types of battery

visitors this year: 79 Batteries are a handy source of power. You’ll know that there are different kinds of batteries, and maybe that some are good for some jobs, and some for others. But battery...

pendulum & simple harmonic motion

visitors this year: 170 A position sensor can be used to study this. The sensor is attached to a weight and spring assembly as shown. This can also be used to study the effects...

pressure & temperature

visitors this year: 186 The pressure in a sealed container changes with temperature. These changes can be monitored using sensors attached to the computer. A graph of pressure against temperature can be plotted as...

radioactive half-life

visitors this year: 153 Radioactive materials decay, or lose their radioactivity, in a predictable way. If you have a fast decaying source, such as Protactinium with a half life of just 72 seconds, you...

heat conduction through a window

visitors this year: 34 Get two temperature sensors to measure the temperature inside and outside a window. You may find that over a long period of time it is best to record your data...

heat conduction

visitors this year: 89 You can use a temperature sensor to study the conduction of heat through materials. Two temperature sensors allow you to compare different materials at the same time. In this example,...