Is a computer required for basic physics experiments in the laboratory?

[Dorea]

As you can see in the below image, they use computers for some of their experiments. What will students do with it?! (Who are `they`? Find them here.)img: http://physics.nyu.edu/~physlab/GenPhysII_PhysIII/Scope&EKG.jpg
img2: http://physics.nyu.edu/~physlab/Classical and Quantum Wave Lab/CoupledPend1_med.jpg (Coupled Pendulums)
img3: http://physics.nyu.edu/~physlab/GenPhysII_PhysIII/Interference_med.jpg (Diffraction and Interference)
img4: http://physics.nyu.edu/~physlab/GenPhysII_PhysIII/HeatEngine.JPG (Heat Engines)

 

[Andy Resnick]

Increasingly, computers are used for data acquisition and analysis in introductory physics labs. I wouldn't say use of computers is 'required', but there are lots of good reasons to include their use. Using computers to *replace* experiments (i.e. use of simulations) is a different topic, and IMO should be avoided.

 

[George Jones]

At my university, about half the first-year lab include computers, and about half the labs don't use computers. As Andy says, computers are great for data acquisition and analysis, but computers, and the probes that connect to computers, sometimes make experiments seem like black boxes. Hence, I think it is important, particularly for introductory labs, for students to perform experiments, where, e.g., they time oscillations of springs or pendula manually with stopwatches or cell phone timers.

 

[Dorea]

At my university, about half the first-year lab include computers, and about half the labs don't use computers.

Indeed, I'm willing to know how they are connected and which program is runned?!
Can you remember for which experiment they use computer and how? Is there any lab booklet for you laboratories?

I think it is important, particularly for introductory labs, for students to perform experiments, where, e.g., they time oscillations of springs or pendula manually with stopwatches or cell phone timers.

Oops, we're currently working on Ardoino and its sensors to automate counting oscillations and times, specially for pendulum and springs!