Technical information

ICT in the science department 1640 © CLEAPSS 2005
Table 16.13 Uses of dataloggers in chemistry
Investigation Measurement
Acid/alkali titrations
Changing pH of fizzy drinks
Thermometric titrations
Exothermic reactions
Cooling curves
Fractional distillation
Dependence of gas pressure on temperature
Thiosulfate-acid reaction
Marble chips and acid
Rusting and corrosion
Precipitation reactions
pH against volume
pH against time
Temperature against volume
Temperature against time
Temperature against time
Two or more temperatures against time
Pressure against temperature
Light level against time
Mass against time
pH against time
Conductivity against time
Table 16.14 Uses of dataloggers in physics
Investigation Measurement
Battery life
Current-voltage relationships
Inverse square law of light
Mechanical oscillations, eg, of a spring
Induced emf, eg, in a coil
Initial current surge, eg, in a filament lamp
Waveform analysis
Dynamics studies, eg, using vehicles on an air track
Discharging a capacitor
Magnetic field in a solenoid
Voltage against time
Current against voltage
Light level against distance
Distance against time
Voltage against time
Current against time
Sound against time
Distance against time
Voltage against time
Magnetic field strength against distance or current
16.11 Connecting other equipment to computers
16.11.1 Balances
Many electronic balances have a socket to enable connection to a computer
1
. Using
appropriate software, readings from the balance may be collected at predetermined
intervals and stored on the computer. The data are often displayed as a mass-time
graph, eg, showing the evolution of a gas from a chemical reaction. Some datalogging
systems allow data from a balance to be collected at the same time as another
variable, eg, temperature
2
.
16.11.2 Colorimeters
Colorimeters are used in various biology and chemistry courses to study the variation
in light absorption with, for example, the concentration of a liquid; see section 17.3.1
(Colorimetry). Stand-alone colorimeters have dial or digital readouts. Models now
available often include an output suitable to allow connection to a computer, some-
times via a datalogger.
1
For information on choosing balances and connecting them to computers, see Computer connection and datalogging in section
9.1.4 or section 4.7 in CLEAPSS guide R4a, Choosing an Electronic Balance.
2
For example, the Logit
®
datalogging system has an optional balance interface sensor.