What makes a good Smartphone Science experiment or project?
1) The experiment should make some use of the capability of a smartphone, although other devices can be used
-at a minimum, the smartphone can be used to document the experimental set up with a photograph
2) The experiment should be exciting or attractive in some way.
- different strokes for different folks apply
- hopefully people with try these experiments and provide feedback. More feedback means more attractive?
3) The experiment should be easy and safe to complete
-using commonly available or inexpensive components
-Not need expensive software
-Easy to explain scientific principles
4) Some form of quantitative measurement should be made
-position, distance, time, velocity
-acceleration, angular rate, magnetic field
-volume, mass
-frequency, wavelength, polarization, intensity
-time lapse photography
-statistical events
5) In doing the experiment or project, experimental principles are demonstrated
-resolution, accuracy, calibration, error analysis, hypothesis testing, analysis techniques, graphing, etc.
-physical units, conversion between units, dimensional analysis
6) In doing the experiment or project, you learn something about your smartphone
-how fast does it sample (sound, video frames, acceleration, angular rate, etc.)
-what units does it measure in?
-how does the camera work? what is its resolution?
7) It is often useful to explain what did not work, and why
1) The experiment should make some use of the capability of a smartphone, although other devices can be used
-at a minimum, the smartphone can be used to document the experimental set up with a photograph
2) The experiment should be exciting or attractive in some way.
- different strokes for different folks apply
- hopefully people with try these experiments and provide feedback. More feedback means more attractive?
3) The experiment should be easy and safe to complete
-using commonly available or inexpensive components
-Not need expensive software
-Easy to explain scientific principles
4) Some form of quantitative measurement should be made
-position, distance, time, velocity
-acceleration, angular rate, magnetic field
-volume, mass
-frequency, wavelength, polarization, intensity
-time lapse photography
-statistical events
5) In doing the experiment or project, experimental principles are demonstrated
-resolution, accuracy, calibration, error analysis, hypothesis testing, analysis techniques, graphing, etc.
-physical units, conversion between units, dimensional analysis
6) In doing the experiment or project, you learn something about your smartphone
-how fast does it sample (sound, video frames, acceleration, angular rate, etc.)
-what units does it measure in?
-how does the camera work? what is its resolution?
7) It is often useful to explain what did not work, and why