Skip to main content

It's Simple. PocketLab and Harmonic Motion Just Go Together

Profile picture for user PocketLab
Submitted by PocketLab on Thu, 04/25/2019 - 22:50

Creative Ways to make Simple Waves

PocketLab Voyager and PocketLab One are great tools for investigating simple harmonic motion. There are literally dozens of ways to create pendulums or other 2nd order mechanical systems to explore the properties of mechanical waves. Check out just a few of the many examples below. 

Soup on a ramp
Simple harmonic motion of a soup can on a curved ramp.
SHM Spring
Torsional and translational harmonic motion of a spring
Coupled Pendulums
Coupled pendulums

 

PocketLab plus a spring equals harmonic motion fun

Adding a mass and a PocketLab to the bottom of a spring opens up a number of possible investigations into harmonic motion. From a more basic lab on the properties of mechanical waves to a complex study on torsional harmonic oscillation, there's something for everyone. 

Use wooden dowels or meter sticks for simple pendulum motion

Pendulums

Adding a mass and a PocketLab to the bottom of a spring opens up a number of possible investigations into harmonic motion. From a more basic lab on the properties of mechanical waves to a complex study on torsional harmonic oscillation, there's something for everyone. 

Cranberry sauce, for simple harmonic motion? Why not? 

Can of soup for simple harmonic motion

Place a PocketLab Voyager or PocketLab One on anything that rolls (like a can of cranberry sauce) and use the VelocityLab app to measure its position, velocity, and acceleration as it rolls. 

Add a curved ramp and you have yet another way to investigate simple harmonic motion.
 

Pendulums of all shapes for investigating moment of inertia

Pendulums of different shapes

Once you're finished with harmonic motion, step up your pendulum game with these two creative lessons using oddly shaped pendulums to study moment of inertia (Lesson 1 and Lesson 2). By placing a magnet on the bottom of each pendulum, PocketLab's magnetometer can measure its period opening up all kinds of data analysis. 

 

PocketLab and Harmonic Motion

To access this free lesson, please sign up to receive communications from us: