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 either a DrDAQ data logger or an ADC-40 PC based oscilloscope in return for a suitable experiment. For more details on this, please read our guidelines on submitting science projects.
ADC-10 and ADC-12
Experiments designed for the ADC-10 and ADC-12
Experiments suitable for the ADC-10 and ADC-12
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse traveling down a metal bar
- Measuring rainfall or other liquid levels
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- Measuring switch bounce
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- Exploding photographic film case
Experiments ideas for the ADC-10 and ADC-12
(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.
ADC-11 and ADC-22
Experiments designed for the ADC-11 and ADC-22
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
Experiments suitable for the ADC-11 and ADC-22
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Battery discharge. Which battery lasts the longest?
- Magnetic Induction. Dropping a magnet through a home made coil
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring rainfall or other liquid levels
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse traveling down a metal bar
- Measuring switch bounce
- Exploding photographic film case
Experiments ideas for the ADC-11 and ADC-22
(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.
ADC-16
Experiments designed for the ADC-16
- 4-channel pH measurements
- Recording Earth Field Magnetometer
- Observing the changes in the charge in the atmosphere close to the surface of the Earth
- Battery discharge. Which battery lasts the longest?
Experiments suitable for the ADC-16
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring rainfall or other liquid levels
- An experiment to measure the deflection in a beam
Experiments ideas for the ADC-16
(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.
- Output of a solar cell. What factors affect the output voltage and power available.
ADC-40 and ADC-42
Experiments designed for the ADC-40 and ADC-42
- Calculating the heart rate with a pulse plethysmograph
- Demonstrating how the Beagle 2 spacecraft will land on Mars
- Electro magnetism - Experiments with a Bicycle Dynamo
- Sensing the speed and acceleration of a train
- Measuring the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a magnet through two coils
Experiments suitable for the ADC-40 and ADC-42
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Magnetic Induction. Dropping a magnet through a coil.
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates.
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring the speed of sound using a musical recorder
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse traveling down a metal bar
- Measuring rainfall or other liquid levels
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- Measuring switch bounce
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- Experiment to measure the fluctuation of Mains Voltage and Frequency over a week
- Exploding photographic film case
Experiments ideas for the ADC-40 and ADC-42
(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.
ADC-200
Experiments designed for the ADC-200
- Calculating the heart rate with a pulse plethysmograph
- Measuring the speed of light
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- The speed of a pulse down a coax cable Requires ADC200/50 or faster
- A school seisometer
- Measuring switch bounce
- Modelling Ultrasound using lengths of coaxial cable and an ADC-200
- An experiment to view T1 clock recovery
- Measuring switching current and voltage in a PWM motor drive circuit
Experiments suitable for the ADC-200
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Measuring the speed of sound
- Magnetic Induction. Dropping a magnet through a coil
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Electro magnetism - Experiments with a Bicycle Dynamo
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates.
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Sensing the speed and acceleration of a train
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring the speed of sound using a musical recorder
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse traveling down a metal bar
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- An experiment to look at Serial Communication
- Measuring the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a magnet through two coils
- Exploding photographic film case
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
Experiments ideas for the ADC-200
(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.
ADC-212
Experiments designed for the ADC-212
- Calculating the heart rate with a pulse plethysmograph
- Measuring the speed of sound
- Magnetic Induction. Dropping a magnet through a coil.
- Measuring switch bounce
- Measurement of Reverberation Time (A method of characterizing the acoustic properties of a room)
- Measuring switching current and voltage in a PWM motor drive circuit
Experiments suitable for the ADC-212
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Battery discharge. Which battery lasts the longest?
- Electro magnetism - Experiments with a Bicycle Dynamo
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates.
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Sensing the speed and acceleration of a train
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring the speed of sound using a musical recorder
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse travelling down a metal bar
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- A school seisometer
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- An experiment to view T1 clock recovery
- Measuring the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a magnet through two coils
- Exploding photographic film case
Experiments ideas for the ADC-212
(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.
ADC-216
Experiments designed for the ADC-216
Experiments suitable for the ADC-216
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Recording Earth Field Magnetometer
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Measuring the speed of sound
- Magnetic Induction. Dropping a magnet through a coil
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Battery discharge. Which battery lasts the longest?
- Electro magnetism - Experiments with a Bicycle Dynamo
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Sensing the speed and acceleration of a train
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring the speed of sound using a musical recorder
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse travelling down a metal bar
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- A school seisometer
- Measuring switch bounce
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- Measurement of Reverberation Time (A method of characterizing the acoustic properties of a room)
- Measuring the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a magnet through two coils
- Exploding photographic film case
Experiments ideas for the ADC-216
(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.
DrDAQ
Experiments designed for DrDAQ
- Proving the formulae for series and parallel resistance
- Measure the angular velocity of a propeller
- Calculating the heart rate with a pulse plethysmograph
- looking at the aerobic respiration of peas
- Investigating the respiration of maggots using an oxygen sensor
- Demonstrating how the Beagle 2 spacecraft will land on Mars
- Infrared Radiation
- Freezing of pure and salt water.
- Measuring the pH of drinks
- Measuring the pH of milk as it turns sour
- Light intensity variation across a diffraction pattern
- Monitoring the rate of reaction between two liquids
- Runaway train designing a buffer to absorb impacts
- Measuring the speed of sound using a musical recorder
- Wave speed in a solid using a hammer to measure a pulse travelling down a metal bar
- Logging in the lab an introduction to data logging in the classroom
- Measuring rainfall or other liquid levels
- Predicting the motion of a falling card
- Investigating Global Warming
- Landing on a Saturn Moon (shows the use of penetrometer sensors)
- Solar Tracking Project (Using DrDAQ to control the position of a solar panel using LabVIEW drivers)
- Scalextric Subaru challenge 2 (shows the use of DrDAQ reed switch sensors to measure the speed of a model car)
- Air Stratification (shows how temperature in a room varies with height)
- Acid base titration curves use DrDAQ to automate titration curve plotting
- Transpiration. Measuring the humidity change caused by a plant to show transpiration occurring
- Flickering Lights. Using a light sensor to look at tube lights, computer monitors and TV screens.
- Investigating Temperature Changes During a Rate of Reaction
- Testing the effect of insulators on the rate of cooling of water
- Acoustic Standing Waves
- Investigating the effect of distance from a lamp on its brightness
- Investigating Heat Loss Due to Radiation using DrDAQ as a Temperature Probe
- Doppler effect in air
- How does temperature affect the pressure of a gas with the aid of a squash ball.
- Beat patterns in sound waves.
- Measuring radioactivity using DrDAQ.
- Explore the forces that arise during a collision..
- Stomach acid Use diluted hydrochloric acid (or cola) to simulate stomach acid. Add different makes of indigestion tablets and observe the change in pH. Which works the best?
- Observing the switching 'on' and 'off' of a filament lamp
- Investigating the effect of temperature changes during a rate of reaction assessed practical
- Investigating the efficiency of a light bulb
- Experiment to measure traffic noise over a period of time
- Experiment to measure magnetic induction
- Exploding photographic film case
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Burning oxygen - experiment to see how much oxygen is required to sustain a flame
- Rusting of Iron
Experiments suitable for DrDAQ
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Measuring the swing of a pendulum
- Battery discharge. Which battery lasts the longest?
- Measuring the speed of a model car - shows the use of light gates.
- Wind resistance and terminal velocity
- Measuring the value of a capacitor
- Measuring switch bounce
Experiments ideas for DrDAQ
(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 sound waveforms 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 Insulation. Experiment with different materials to see which cuts out the most light. Does using two bits of insulation have twice the effect?
- Acid Rain. Measure the pH of collected rain water. Needs careful calibration.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
TC-08
Experiments designed for the TC-08
- Do red cars get hotter than those painted in other colours?
- Con-current and counter-current exchange principles
- Measuring heat transfer coefficient
Experiments suitable for the TC-08
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
- Freezing of pure and salt water.
- Investigating Whether Temperature Changes During a Rate of Reaction
- Testing the effect of insulators on the rate of cooling of water
- Investigating Heat Loss Due to Radiation using DrDAQ as a Temperature Probe
Experiments ideas for the TC-08
(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)
- 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.
- Heat Insulation. Wrap test tubes in different insulating materials. Compare wet and dry insulation.
- 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?
TH-03
Experiments suitable for the TH-03
(These experiments may require minor modifications to suit this product.)
- Freezing of pure and salt water.
- Investigating Global Warming
- Air Stratification (shows how temperature in a room varies with height)
- Transpiration. Measuring humidity to show transpiration occurring.
- Investigating Whether Temperature Changes During a Rate of Reaction
- Testing the effect of insulators on the rate of cooling of water
- Investigating Heat Loss Due to Radiation using DrDAQ as a Temperature Probe
- Mpemba effect - which freezes first - hot or cold water?
Experiments ideas for the TH-03
(If you are interested in performing and writing up one of these experiments, please get in touch.)
- 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.
- 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?
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