Lights Out! - Periodic Phenomena
Recommended for grades 9–12.
Introduction
A rocking chair moving back and forth, a ringing telephone, and water dripping from a leaky faucet are all examples of periodic phenomena. That means that the phenomenon repeats itself every so often. The period is the time required to complete one cycle of the phenomenon. The number of times the cycle occurs per unit time is known as the frequency.
In the following activities, you will use a Light Sensor to collect data for two different types of periodic phenomena. You will then analyze these data to find the period and the frequency of the observed behavior.
Objectives
- Record light intensity vs. time data for both fast and slow variations of intensity.
- Describe the intensity variations using the concepts of period and frequency.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Real-World Math with Computers »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.