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Manual
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Physics Experiment with your Phone
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Index
1. Introduction
2. Getting Started
3. PhoneLab Apps
4. Mechanics: Inquiry Projects:
Why things swing?
Going around in circles
How things stretch?
Why things vibrate?
Staying in balance
Why things keep moving?
5. Light: Inquiry Projects:
Under Development
6. Sound: Inquiry Projects:
Under Development
7. LabenoSet
8. What we are working on ?
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Introduction
Why PhoneLabs ?
10 Good Reasons
1. Kids love phones
2. Phones are powerful (the next generation of computers)
3. Phones come with sensors
4. Phones facilitate connected learning and sharing
5. Phones are accessible
6. Phones work ‐ unlike lab equipment that are not always in working order
7. Empowers kids to create and learn from their own experiments
8. Each experiment can be different
9. No setting up time (if the LabenoSet is wall mounted)
10. Experiments can be done in a fraction of the time
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Getting Started
We have made it easy for schools worldwide to get started with PhoneLabs. Our web site
contains apps that can be used to teach a good part of physics simply by attaching phones to all
kinds of devices.
Starting with a Starter Kit. Or not.
If you want to set up a Phonelab user can down load and 3D Print it download and print a
starter kit for free. If you want to use existing equipment, just do it! We recommend this kit as it
minimises damage to devices…….
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
What old world labs are designed for:
1. Proving to disbelievers that “Laws of Science Exist” (that was its primary purpose
in the Victorian era)
2. Teaching old world ways of data taking (what phones do well)
3. Experimental Practice (this is something we should keep)
4. Bored students with highly structured pracs to prodcue highly
predictable/gradable results ‐ giving them no room to play
5. Everyone does the same prac in a big room with the same equipment (there is no
need for that)
There is now enough experimental evidence that highly structured lab pracs do not improve
students understanding of subject matter.
What new world labs should be designed for
To learn and have fun; in an environment that is conducive for inquiry, where students can drive
their own learning.
Lab Look alike
We do not think that labs of the 21st century should look like those of the 18th century. But they
do. You can PhoneLab your labs by mounting 3D printed LabensoSets and carry out most of your
physics experiments.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Physics Wall
If you can, it would be best to mount your PhoneLab on the wall. This way you have no setup
time and it is open for students to play with.
Be warned: Strange things happen….
With PhoneLabs you may find students designing and carrying out their own experiments. Try
not to stop it as you may get in the way of learning.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
“Jack and Jill Experiment” : To see how much work is involved in taking a pail of water up a hill.
The pails are now 3D printed along with the pulley and other equipment. The LabenoSet has
been moulded suitably for this experiment entirely driven by students @ ASMS .
PhoneLab Apps
We have developed a series of apps (actually web pages) that you can use. They work on any
device that can run a HTML5 Web browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Native Browser). No
installation is required.
Web Apps
In our web site you can try out these apps on your phone.
(Acceleration > www.phonelabs.net/a, Measurement > www.phonelabs.net/m, Frequency >
www.phonelabs.net/f, Sound > www.phonelabs.net/s, Listen > www.phonelabs.net/l)
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
With these apps you can carry out most of the basic physics experiments in a fraction of the time
currently spent on setting up, taking data and plotting because these are now eliminated.
Students can now spend that time understanding the data and conceptualising the results
instead of spending most of their time taking it down.
Warning : Phones are students most precious instruments. The last thing you want is a cracked
screen. To avoid mishaps we strongly advise:
Make sure that you only use phones in a case (with reasonable amount of impact protection)
Don’t do experiments that involve high velocity, acceleration or jerks
Place a carpet underneath experiments
Reduce drop distances. Best to do risky experiments on the floor.
Pack no slip material on the phone holder for smaller devices (eg iPhone 5/6, iPod touch)
Tracking App
We are particularly proud of this program. It currently
runs on PCs (we are developing a phone version as
well).
It tracks the brightest object with a web cam – Live.
You can use a ping pong ball or a golf ball (any light
reflecting object would do). Just move it in front of the
web cam and you will see how the tracking works. Its
plots the velocity in blue and acceleration in red on the
image – live. It saves the position data in an excel file.
You can track > your hand You can track > a bright ball
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
What can Live‐Tracking teach?
Tracking can be used to teach:
1. Coordinate System ( by getting students to track a ball)
2. Vectors (position and direction)
3. Velocity (is displayed live as a blue line, it can also be calculated from position saved data)
4. Acceleration (is displayed live as a red line, it can also be calculated from velocity data)
5. Data Manipulation (as the data saved in CVS format, it can be used to teach data
manipulation in Excel)
6. All of classical mechanics – as it has to do with movement that you can now track.
How does Live‐Tracking work?
Live tracking is achieved by using a technique called “background elimination”. The program first
takes a still background image. If there are moving objects it averages them out.
By deducting this background
image from the video image it is
able to identify moving objects,
whose position is found by
setting a brightness threshold
(which you can adjust using + / ‐
) and then finding the centre of
gravity (CG) of it.
Using this method any bright object can be tracked including phone screens eg. You can use free
phone app such as Screen Light for Android or Flash Light for Free for IPhones. Or you can use
www.phonelabs.net/y which creates a tracking spot.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Torch lit ping pong ball Bicycle warning light Phone Screen
Handy Hints to use Live Tracking
You don’t need a lit object, but you do need contrast. You can track un‐lit ping pong balls and
golf balls by adjusting the tracking threshold. The video camera adjust light levels automatically,
hence the overall lighting level makes no difference – only contrast (the difference between the
tracking object and the rest) matters. By changing the background and adjusting light
surrounding the experiments you should be able to achieve this easily. Avoid direct light shining
on the lab kit as it will confuse the tracking program. Also the background image is an averaged
image so its good to have the kit moving while it averages the background.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
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Classical Mechanics
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Inquiry projects
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Why do things swing?
For investigating the relationship between length mass and frequency
Setting up :
You can set this up on a wall or on lab stands.
You can Velcro weights in the front panel (which
will alter the centre of gravity) or add weights
on the weight panel behind (which will not alter
the centre of gravity.)
Hardware you will need :
1. Starter Kit – 1
2. Velcro Weights – 3~6
3. Meter ruler with 10 mm hole
4. Lab stand and G Clamp or wall mounted
8 mm rod
Apps you will need :
5. Acceleration App
6. Frequency App
7. Live Tracker
Mounted on a lab stand
To keep the centre of gravity in the centre of
gravity axis you can use a balancing block and
Acceleration data with damping move the phones position till the assembly is in
balance.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Going around in circles
For resolving the centripetal centrifugal confusion
By mounting the phone
with the aceleration app
you can demostrate that as
the arm is swung faster the
red line increases in length
indicating acceleration
away from the centre. This
is what passengers feel
when the car turns – unless
you are a mathematican.
The mathematicans view
can bes seen using the
tracking ball which
acellerates inwards.
The LiveTracker will show (the red acelearion line) poingint
towards the centre indicating their version of acceleration
(centrifugal) which can now be easily demonstrated. The blue lines
that indicate velocity and the red lines indicate the change of
direction in velocity. This centerpetal/centrifugal ploy deviced
jointly by mathmaticians and phycisist to confuse physics students
can now be easily undone. You can do the same by
using a Labstand, but it not
recommended.
Hardware you will need:
1. Starter Kit – 1
2. Weights – 2~4
3. Lab stand and G Clamp or vertically mounted 8 mm rod
Apps you will need:
4. Acceleration app
5. Live Tracker
Warning: It is best to do this experiment horizontally as the phone will slip on high velocity
vertical rotation. IPhones are particularly prone to slipping as they are smaller. Please use non‐
slip material between the phone and the holder to avoid phone slippage.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
You can attach the phone plate to
Why do things vibrate? a spring which can be held by a
For understanding simple harmonic motion and pivot. You can use a tube holder
damping to position the runner in a vertical
position (this will require some
adjustment).
You can use the same jig to do
elasticity experiments.
Hardware you will need:
1. Starter Kit – 1
2. Weights – 2~4
3. Lab stand and Clamp tube
holder ‐ 2
4. Springs ‐1 or more
Apps you will need:
5. Acceleration app
6. Live Tracker
7. Measurement app
You can also study the vibrations
by mounting the phone as shown
The parameters of length, weights and spring tension can be
varied.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Staying in balance
For understanding vectors, force and equilibrium (balance of force)
Hardware you will need:
1. Spring Balance – 1
2. Weights – 4~6
3. Wire
4. A4 sheet of paper
Apps you will need:
5. Measurement app
Students can do their own force balance experiments by changing the weights and the angle of the wire.
They can analyse the data and check it with the reading on the spring balance.
CORRECTION FREE
This is an example of a correction free exercise where Phones can be used in a way that students can
check their own understanding without the need for correction by tutors, teachers or lecturers.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Why do things move?
For understanding, velocity, acceleration, momentum
You can mount the phone plate directly onto Hardware you will need:
PASCO tracks. The phone can be used to track the 1. Phone Plate – 1
acceleration. You can also attach a tracking ball to 2. Weights – 2~4
track location.
3. Trolley & Track
4. Tracking Ball
You can also do :
Impact Apps you will need:
Movement in an inclined plane 5. Acceleration app
Collisons 6. Live Tracker
The opportunity with this is the
diversity of experiments that the
students can do. Virtually every
moving toy can be made into a lab
exercise my mounting the phone
or a tracking ball.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
Extend your understanding
For understanding the relationship between force extension and material
properties
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
LabenoSets
Starter Kit Components
1. Pivot (with 2no M6 grub screws)
2. Phone Holder (with phone attachment,
2no M 6 Nylon Hex Head Bolt)
3. Weight Bracket(with M5 round head
bolt, nut, washer and fly nut)
4. Ruler with fasteners( 5mm round head
bolt, washer and fly nut)
5. Restraint with 1no M6 grub screw
6.Pingpong and base
8. Allen Key (6mm)
9. Velcro Kit
1. 50g Lab Weight (3x)
Add‐On Kit 2. End Cap
3. Wooden Block (90mm x 90mm x 35mm)
4. Ruler (1000mm)
We are developing phone based lab equipment that uses a combination of 3D printed part,
conventional lab equipment and mechanical fasteners so that standard experiments can be
undertaken efficiently and independently. Each student gets their own data, allowing them to
make sense of their world as they construct it within the PhoneLabs environment.
LET THE STUDENTS CREATE
What we present here are examples. Phone Labs is not about replacing standard boring experiments. It is
about empowering students to create their own.
REAL DATA
Physics should be about understanding data; not data taking – that is now the phone’s job.
We think it would be best for students to appreciate different types of data using various apps so they
understand it’s meaning instead of something that is taken to be poked into graphs – to prove that
Newton got it right. The data they take is their data that comes from their actions and it is always unique.
Because it comes from their phone – they trust it. That’s makes the data real making learning more real.
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
PhoneLabs is a student lead learning project that originated at the Australian Science and
Mathematics School (ASMS). It was supported by TeachSA and the Suttleworth Foundation.
Special thanks to Glenys Thompson helping us develop this manual.
STATUS
PhoneLabs will be soon run by Sensibility Ltd ‐ it is a non‐profit company that is being
incorporated to promote and grow the project to benefit as many learners as possible. Our
Software and Hardware will be distributed under creative commons.
More info on www.phonelabs.net
We would love to have your comments. Pls email them to sivam@sivamkrish.com
by Sivam Krish www.phonelabs.net Creative Commons