Email RIS file
Bookmark
Report an Issue

A simple, low-cost, data logging pendulum built from a computer mouse [electronic resource].

Published
Washington, D.C. : United States. Dept. of Energy, 2009.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Additional Creators
Los Alamos National Laboratory, United States. Department of Energy, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Access Online

Availability

I Want It
I Want It

Finding items...

Restrictions on Access
Free-to-read Unrestricted online access
Summary
Lessons and homework problems involving a pendulum are often a big part of introductory physics classes and laboratory courses from high school to undergraduate levels. Although laboratory equipment for pendulum experiments is commercially available, it is often expensive and may not be affordable for teachers on fixed budgets, particularly in developing countries. We present a low-cost, easy-to-build rotary sensor pendulum using the existing hardware in a ball-type computer mouse. We demonstrate how this apparatus may be used to measure both the frequency and coefficient of damping of a simple physical pendulum. This easily constructed laboratory equipment makes it possible for all students to have hands-on experience with one of the most important simple physical systems.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:la-ur-09-00439
E 1.99: la-ur-09-439
la-ur-09-439
la-ur-09-00439
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
01/01/2009.
"la-ur-09-00439"
" la-ur-09-439"
American Journal of Physics ISSN 0002-9505; AJPIAS FT
Gintautas, Vadas; Hubler, Alfred.
Funding Information
AC52-06NA25396
View MARC record | catkey: 13821257