Innovative Uses
The Microscale Determination of the Molar Mass of Metals Using a Gas Pressure Sensor
Here is a nice lab idea by James Gordon, Amber Boyce, and Thoren Maule (Central Methodist University, Fayette, MO) that was published in The Chemical Educator (2004, 9, 1-2). Their experiment uses our Gas Pressure Sensor to collect data using the DataMate program and a TI calculator, but it can be easily adapted for Logger Pro, EasyData, or Data Pro software.
In the described experiment, small samples of manganese (0.0500 g) and zinc (0.0600 g) were reacted with 10 mL of 6.0 M HCl in a 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask, according to the general equation:
M(s) + 2 HCl(aq) → MCl2(aq) + H2(g)
The pressure of the hydrogen gas generated was measured with the Gas Pressure Sensor, as shown here. (Note that the pressure "bump" at the beginning is due to the stopper being added, and is used as the baseline pressure value.) The change in pressure, the temperature, and the volume of the system were used to calculate moles of hydrogen gas, using the ideal gas law:
Using the mass and moles of the metals, the average molar masses of manganese and zinc were determined to be 54.3 ± 2.5 g/mol and 62.4 ± 2.9 g/mol, respectively.
We recommend reading the original article on line at http://chemeducator.org/bibs/0009006/960364jg.htm for
important tips and details.
on Laguna Madre
GIS Mapping Enhances Student Salinity Study
In March 2005, Olathe North HS (Olathe, KS) students Kevin Skov and Greg May, along with teacher Steve Obenhaus, took a trip to the southern reaches of Texas to explore Laguna Madre's hypersaline characteristics. Laguna Madre, a large body of shallow water separating Padre Island from the South Texas mainland, is one of only a few hypersaline lagoons in the world.
Using a Vernier Salinity Sensor, LabPro, and a laptop PC running Logger Pro software, they traveled south on the Intracoastal Waterway taking salinity readings from Corpus Christi Bay to Baffin Bay. For comparison, they also measured the salinity in several locations on the Gulf of Mexico.
Latitude and longitude data were collected with a handheld GPS unit and were recorded in Logger Pro for each collection site. The data were saved using Logger Pro's "Export in GIS format" feature.
Upon returning home, the data were brought into ArcGIS software to produce the map shown here. The results followed the expected trend of increased salinity from Corpus Christi Bay to Baffin Bay. When mapped, the north to south transition from hyposaline to hypersaline conditions was clearly visible.
Thanks to Steve Obenhaus and his students for the map and photo.
What Causes the Seasons?
Parker Moreland has been volunteering at an intermediate school in New Milford, CT, where he has come up with a clever modification of the "What Causes the Seasons" lab in our Earth Science with Computers book. First, instead of taping a temperature sensor to a globe, he opened a cardboard globe and mounted a Surface Temperature Sensor at the school's latitude from the inside of the globe, letting it protrude just a bit. He also mounted a light sensor (homemade, in his case) inside the globe. He then monitored the temperature change when a heat lamp was placed at the appropriate angle for winter and summer sun. You can also monitor the light level and length of a day as the Earth turns with the sun in the winter and summer positions.
Stephen Edberg's Space Science Labs
Stephen J. Edberg (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA) has written two interesting labs using our sensors to study topics in space science. One lab is modeled after spacecraft that use magnetometers to explore the interiors of planets. Students use our Magnetic Field Sensor to investigate models of planets made of clay that have magnets imbedded inside. This lab can be seen at www.vernier.com/physics/vernier_planetmagfield.pdf. There is a lower tech version, with more detailed discussion, at http://eis.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini_epo/education/pdfs/Planetary_Magnetics.pdf
Edberg's second lab uses our Light Sensor to teach students about forward scattering of light with reference to the study of interstellar dust clouds, planetary atmospheres, and planetary ring systems. Water with a few drops of milk added is used to scatter the light. This lab is at www.vernier.com/physics/vernier_scattering.pdf, with a lower-tech version and more detailed discussion at http://eis.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini_epo/education/pdfs/Scattering.pdf
Student Chest Protector Study
Carolyn Purington, a student of Jacklyn Bonneau at Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science, Worcester, MA, did a study of the effectiveness of sports chest protectors in preventing commotio cordis, which is the sometimes fatal damage caused by a blunt impact to the chest of young athletes. She studied various materials and designs, using our Force Plate for many of the impact studies.
Student Rocket Launch
Three different high school groups launched LabPros in rockets as part of the NASA Student Launch Initiative Program this spring. The teams were given the mission of building a rocket that would go one mile high carrying a scientific payload, take data, and then return safely. A team from University School of Milwaukee, WI launched two LabPros with an Accelerometer, UVA, UVB, and CO2 sensors. A team from Skyline HS, Sammamish, WA, launched a LabPro with a UVA, UVB, and Light Sensor. A third team from Oakton HS, Vienna, VA used a 3-Axis Accelerometer and Surface Temperature Sensor.
The sample graph below shows the acceleration of the Milwaukee rocket during the launch. Marked on the graph are the launch, apogee and drogue parachute deployment, main parachute deployment, and landing. They won the "Best Payload Design" Award.
Juggling Physics
Some time ago, Tim Folkerts of Barton Co. CC, Great Bend, KS, posted a note on one of the physics internet discussion groups about juggling on a Force Plate. He even collected data on the apparent "weight" of jugglers as they perform. Well, it turns out Vernier Software & Technology has its own juggler, Scott Van Hoosen. We had Scott try this experiment with three balls and then five balls.
For each trial, Scott first held the objects in his hands, and then started juggling. Note that the average force reading remains about constant, but there is more deviation of the readings with the three balls. (He throws the balls higher when using five balls.) Download a movie and sample data at www.vernier.com/innovate/files/juggle.zip
Feline Radiation
radiation treatment
Richard Taylor (The Hockaday School, Dallas, TX) has a cat (Kinsey) that needed radiation treatment for feline hyperthyroidism. Richard used our Student Radiation Monitor, LabPro, and a TI-84 to monitor the radiation from Kinsey over several days. Kinsey was injected with I-131, which has a half life of about five days. The count rated dropped off faster than the half life would imply, but Richard noted that the litter box was also very radioactive. Also note that Kinsey was more radioactive by a factor or 10 or so than anything you would ever buy for use in a science classroom.
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
Two of the 13 teams awarded grants by the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams program in 2005 used our products extensively. The West Salem HS, OR team developed several methods of testing the ripeness of watermelon. One method was to measure the frequencies in the sound of the "thump" when the watermelon was hit by an object. They used the FFT graph of Logger Pro for the analysis. The team's mentor was Michael Lampert, who is also a 2005 Disney Teacher Award winner.
The Bow HS, NH team developed a remote-controlled submersible for science education. They used our Digital Control Unit and our water quality sensors. The mentor of this project, Stan Wawrzyniak, also won one of the Vernier Technology Awards for this project. For more information on the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams competition, see http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/InvenTeam/pr.html