PHYSICS gives me a headache. All the time. Every time.
There are only two ways about physics - the people who love it dearly and people who hate it with a passion. Those who love it, does so because they understand the flow behind the math that gives it the tough look. Math is the main reason which gives physics the bad rap. Students who take advanced placement classes in high school are considered to be nerds and labeled as the "smart one".
In the past 15 years, we came across valedictorians who get a nervous breakdown when dealing with physics problems. We also came across the people who are considered as the "bottom of the barrel"-type, who loved physics with a passion.
This contradiction is due to how the material is presented to them (or, perceived by the learner). We are not criticizing the teachers or the books that presents the materials. Or, maybe we are. A little.
The teachers themselves were taught in a certain way and their way of thinking hasn't deviated much from how they were taught. It takes deep understanding and courage to walk away from the pack and think differently. It is a perpetual phenomena where people who understand math well, take the easy path and explain the physics concepts using math without translating it to English (or any other language). Breaking the concept down in to simple language takes commitment from the learner.
Understanding any basic concept in physics is best done through experiments and demonstrations. Many people get caught in the details of the experiment itself that they forget the "bigger picture', which is supposed to captivate the reader or the learner's interest.
Traditionally, physics was reserved only for the "cream of the crop" people, who are also good in math. Many of the concepts are heavily integrated with complex math. Most of the classical experiments are also heavy with math and understanding it requires a good working knowledge of math.
Several smart people figured out a way to make these physics experiments and measurements simpler - using electronic sensors. Electronic sensors make doing labs much easier for the learner without having to be first good at basic concepts.
In this blog, we want to introduce you to different sensors that are commonly used in physics.
Sensors in physics measurements
Traditionally finding the strength of a magnetic or electric field at a point requires an elaborate setup and an hour long experiment followed by calculations and graphing. With the right sensor connected to a compatible interface, it can be done in a matter of seconds.To use a sensor, you'll first need a compatible interface to translate the sensor input and a display device. A common interface that is a must-have for a physics learner is a CBL (Calculator-based-Laboratory). It is an inexpensive device that connects to a common graphing calculator such as TI-83 or TI-84 and translates the sensor readings to meaningful numbers and graphs. There are plenty of other more modern and expensive interfaces available in the market today. But, CBL is still a preferred interface for many physics labs.
Knowing what is available on the market and how to use it helps narrow down the search. We are listing below a small sample of useful sensors (among thousands that are available on the market) that are useful for a physics learner.
⇖⇖⇖⇖ See the left sidebar for individual pages on these sensors ⇖⇖⇖⇖
