DrDAQ

The Pico Technology library of science projects contains a number of educational experiments suitable for use with our oscilloscope and data logging products.

If you are involved in the teaching of science we would love to hear from you. We are looking for people willing to perform and write up new experiments for this collection. For a limited time Pico Technology is willing to donate a DrDAQ data logger in return for a suitable experiment. For more details on this, please read our guidelines on submitting science projects.


Biology Experiments

Ideas for Biology Experiments

(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)

  • Dawn Chorus. Use light and sound level sensors to measure the dawn chorus.
  • Day and Night. Plot temperature, light and humidity over a 24 hour period.
  • Fermentation of Grass Cuttings. Measure the temperature of grass cuttings or a compost heap.
  • Acid Rain. Measure the pH of collected rainwater. Needs careful calibration.

Chemistry Experiments

Ideas for Chemistry Experiments

(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)

  • Acid Base Titration. Monitor the pH and Temperature.
  • Exothermic Reactions. Measure the temperature and pH as sodium hydroxide is dissolved in water.
  • Endothermic Reactions. Measure the temperature as ammonium nitrate is dissolved in water.
  • Fermentation of Grass Cuttings. Measure the temperature of grass cuttings or a compost heap.
  • Acid Rain. Measure the pH of collected rainwater. Needs careful calibration.

Electronics Experiments

Ideas for Electronics Experiments

(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)

  • Fruit Power. Make a fruit battery. Experiment with different fruits and electrodes.
  • Capacitor charge/discharge. Experiment with different component values.
  • Infra red remote controls. Use a photo diode to view the invisible.
  • Output of a solar cell. What factors affect the output voltage and power available.

General Science Experiments

Ideas General Science Experiments

(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)

  • Dawn Chorus. Use light and sound level sensors to measure the dawn chorus.
  • Sound waveforms. Use PicoScope oscilloscope to show the soundwaveforms produced by someone whistling, speaking or singing. Switch on the spectrum analyser to see the frequency components — who’s whistle has the highest frequency, who can whistle the loudest?
  • Sound Decay. Use a sound source with a constant level and plot how it decays with distance
  • Sound Insulation. Use a sound source with a constant level and experiment with different insulating materials
  • Sound waveforms of musical Instruments. Look at the scope waveform and FFT spectrum of different musical instruments
  • Light decay (inverse square law). How does light level decay with distance from source
  • Light Insulation. Experiment with different materials to see which cuts out the most light. Does using two bits of insulation have twice the effect?
  • Day and Night. Plot temperature, light and humidity over a 24 hour period.
  • Fruit Power. Make a fruit battery. Experiment with different fruits and electrodes.
  • Acid Rain. Measure the pH of collected rainwater. Needs careful calibration.
  • Output of a solar cell. What factors affect the output voltage and power available.
  • Heat Insulation. Wrap test tubes in different insulating materials. Compare wet and dry insulation.
  • Global Warming. Show how CO2 can effect warming. Heat two bottles using a lamp. One contains air and the other CO2.
  • Heat Loss Through Windows. Compare temperature inside and outside a window over 24 hours. If possible compare single and double glazing.
  • Fridges and Freezers. Plot temperature inside a fridge or freezer. Also plot temperature of the heat exchanger on the back. How is temperature affected by opening the door or by adding something hot to the fridge. Can you see the effect of the thermostat?

Physics Experiments

Ideas for Physics Experiments

(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)

  • Sound waveforms. Use PicoScope oscilloscope to show the soundwaveforms produced by someone whistling, speaking or singing. Switch on the spectrum analyser to see the frequency components — who’s whistle has the highest frequency, who can whistle the loudest?
  • Sound Decay. Use a sound source with a constant level and plot how it decays with distance
  • Sound Insulation. Use a sound source with a constant level and experiment with different insulating materials
  • Sound waveforms of musical Instruments. Look at the scope waveform and FFT spectrum of different musical instruments
  • Light decay (inverse square law). How does light level decay with distance from source
  • Light Insulation. Experiment with different materials to see which cuts out the most light. Does using two bits of insulation have twice the effect?
  • Day and Night. Plot temperature, light and humidity over a 24 hour period.
  • Fruit Power. Make a fruit battery. Experiment with different fruits and electrodes.
  • Capacitor charge/discharge. Experiment with different component values.
  • Infra red remote controls. Use a photo diode to view the invisible.
  • Output of a solar cell. What factors affect the output voltage and power available.
  • Heat Insulation. Wrap test tubes in different insulating materials. Compare wet and dry insulation.
  • Global Warming. Show how CO2 can effect warming. Heat two bottles using a lamp. One contains air and the other CO2.
  • Heat Loss Through Windows. Compare temperature inside and outside a window over 24 hours. If possible compare single and double glazing.
  • Fridges and Freezers. Plot temperature inside a fridge or freezer. Also plot temperature of the heat exchanger on the back. How is temperature affected by opening the door or by adding something hot to the fridge. Can you see the effect of the thermostat?