Insights An Accurate Simple Harmonic Oscillator Laboratory - Comments

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers around the effectiveness of the "Accurate Simple Harmonic Oscillator Laboratory" experiment, highlighting its relevance in educational settings. Participants emphasize the importance of incorporating tracking software, such as Tracker, into physics experiments to enhance accuracy and engagement. The discussion references the use of video cameras and computers for data collection, underscoring the simplicity and effectiveness of modern experimental design. Overall, the conversation advocates for the integration of technology in educational experiments to improve learning outcomes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of simple harmonic motion principles
  • Familiarity with Tracker software for video analysis
  • Basic knowledge of sinusoidal functions and their applications
  • Experience with experimental design in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the capabilities of Tracker software for physics experiments
  • Explore advanced techniques in video analysis for educational purposes
  • Learn about experimental design principles specific to physics labs
  • Investigate the mathematical modeling of sinusoidal functions in real-world applications
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Physics educators, students conducting experiments in mechanics, and anyone interested in enhancing laboratory experiences through technology integration.

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Greg Bernhardt submitted a new blog post

An Accurate Simple Harmonic Oscillator Laboratory
Simple_Harmonic_Oscillator_Laboratory.png


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Requires students to be able to count to ten. Effectively unusable. :rolleyes:

Just kidding. Even today it is a good experiment. Including tracking software into education needs to be promoted more. Back in high-school I did a similar experiment with a wheel and a VCR to prove to my teacher that the height of a point on the perimiter as a function of time was a sinusoid, not a cycloid (that’s as a function of horizontal displacement). I still recall going frame by frame.
 
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Orodruin said:
Including tracking software into education needs to be promoted more. Back in high-school I did a similar experiment with a wheel and a VCR to prove to my teacher that the height of a point on the perimiter as a function of time was a sinusoid, not a cycloid (that’s as a function of horizontal displacement). I still recall going frame by frame.

Agreed. With some careful experimental design, getting accurate results with Tracker is just so easy with little more than a video camera and a computer.
 

Thread 'Some thoughts about self-education'

I deeply respect people who are engaged in self-education. Nevertheless the problem of self-education is as follows. A person reads textbooks and forms his own opinion about what he has read. Then he tries to solve a problem and faces the fact that his answer is not equal to the one in the end of the book. Then he goes to specialists and asks them what the story is. He expects that specialists will help him to solve the problem and they will do that by using his own understandings and...
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