Patrik Vogt

Analyzing free fall with a smartphone acceleration sensor

This paper provides a first example of experiments in this column using smartphones as experimental tools. More examples concerning this special tool will follow in the next issues. The differences between a smartphone and a “regular” cell phone are that smartphones offer more advanced computing ability and connectivity. Smartphones combine the functions of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones.

Analyzing acoustic phenomena with a smartphone microphone

This paper describes how different sound types can be explored using the microphone of a smartphone and a suitable app. Vibrating bodies, such as strings, membranes, or bars, generate air pressure fluctuations in their immediate vicinity, which propagate through the room in the form of sound waves. Depending on the triggering mechanism, it is possible to differentiate between four types of sound waves: tone, sound, noise, and bang. In everyday language, non-experts use the terms “tone” and “sound” synonymously; however, from a physics perspective there are very clear differences between the two terms. This paper presents experiments that enable learners to explore and understand these differences. Tuning forks and musical instruments (e.g., recorders and guitars) can be used as equipment for the experiments. The data are captured using a smartphone equipped with the appropriate app (in this paper we describe the app Audio Kit for iOS systems1). The values captured by the smartphone are displayed in a scre...

Analyzing simple pendulum phenomena with a smartphone acceleration sensor

This paper describes a further experiment using the acceleration sensor of a smartphone. For a previous column on this topic, including the description of the operation and use of the acceleration sensor, see Ref. 1. In this contribution we focus on analyzing simple pendulum phenomena. A smartphone is used as a pendulum bob, and SPARKvue2 software is used in conjunction with an iPhone or an iPod touch, or the Accelogger3 app for an Android device. As described in Ref. 1, the values measured by the smartphone are subsequently exported to a spreadsheet application (e.g., MS Excel) for analysis.

Analyzing radial acceleration with a smartphone acceleration sensor

This paper continues the sequence of experiments using the acceleration sensor of smartphones (for description of the function and the use of the acceleration sensor, see Ref. 1) within this column, in this case for analyzing the radial acceleration.

Analyzing spring pendulum phenomena with a smart-phone acceleration sensor

This paper describes two further pendulum experiments using the acceleration sensor of a smartphone in this column (for earlier contributions concerning this topic, including the description of the operation and use of the acceleration sensor, see Refs. 1 and 2). In this paper we focus on analyzing spring pendulum phenomena. Therefore two spring pendulum experiments will be described in which a smartphone is used as a pendulum body and SPARKvue3 software is used in conjunction with an iPhone or an iPod touch, or the Accelogger4 app for an Android device.1,2 As described in Ref. 1, the values measured by the smartphone are subsequently exported to a spreadsheet application (e.g., MS Excel) for analysis.

Analyzing the Acoustic Beat with Mobile Devices.

In this column, we have previously presented various examples of how physical relationships can be examined by analyzing acoustic signals using smartphones or tablet PCs.1–3 In this example, we will be exploring the acoustic phenomenon of small beats, which is produced by the overlapping of two tones with a low difference in frequency Δf. The resulting auditory sensation is a tone with a volume that varies periodically. Acoustic beats can be perceived repeatedly in day-to-day life and have some interesting applications. For example, string instruments are still tuned with the help of an acoustic beat, even with modern technology. If a reference tone (e.g., 440 Hz) and, for example, a slightly out-of-tune violin string produce a tone simultaneously, a beat can be perceived. The more similar the frequencies, the longer the duration of the beat. In the extreme case, when the frequencies are identical, a beat no longer arises. The string is therefore correctly tuned. Using the Oscilloscope app,4 it is possibl...

Experiments Using Cell Phones in Physics Classroom Education: The Computer-Aided "g" Determination

This paper continues the collection of experiments that describe the use of cell phones as experimental tools in physics classroom education.1–4 We describe a computer-aided determination of the free-fall acceleration g using the acoustical Doppler effect. The Doppler shift is a function of the speed of the source. Since a free-falling objects speed is changing linearly with time, the Doppler shift is also changing with time. It is possible to measure this shift using software that is both easy to use and readily available. Students will use the time-dependency of the Doppler shift to experimentally determine the acceleration due to gravity by using a cell phone as a freely falling object emitting a sound with constant frequency.

Angular velocity and centripetal acceleration relationship

During the last few years, the growing boom of smartphones has given rise to a considerable number of applications exploiting the functionality of the sensors incorporated in these devices. A sector that has unexpectedly taken advantage of the power of these tools is physics teaching, as reflected in several recent papers.1–10 In effect, the use of smartphones has been proposed in several physics experiments spanning mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, oscillations, and waves, among other subjects. Although mechanical experiments have received considerable attention, most of them are based on the use of the accelerometer.1–8 An aspect that has received less attention is the use of rotation sensors or gyroscopes.9,10 An additional advance in the use of these devices is given by the possibility of obtaining data using the accelerometer and the gyroscope simultaneously. The aim of this paper is to consider the relation between the centripetal acceleration and the angular velocity. Instead of using a formal ...

Acoustic measurements of bouncing balls and the determination of gravitational acceleration

Interesting experiments can be performed and fundamental physical relationships can be explored with so-called Super Balls or bouncy balls. An example is the determination of gravity g in an experiment. The basic idea behind this was described by Pape1 and Sprockhoff2: The initial and final heights and the complete duration of all the bounces are measured for a certain number of bounces by the ball. On the basis of this data, the acceleration of gravity can be approximately calculated if air drag on the ball is neglected. However, in practice, it becomes clear that measuring the height of the last bounce in the process is problematic. The person performing the experiment either has to make a good estimation of its height or film the bounce in front of a measuring stick. The method is based on the important assumption that each of the individual bounces of the ball loses the same percentage of mechanical energy; the coefficient of restitution k therefore remains the same.

Diffraction experiments with infrared remote controls

In this paper we describe an experiment in which radiation emitted by an infrared remote control is passed through a diffraction grating. An image of the diffraction pattern is captured using a cell phone camera and then used to determine the wavelength of the radiation.1