r/ScienceTeachers • u/AmericanMadl • 11d ago

Force Sensor for Physics?

So we currently have Vernier equipment for our digital collection but it relies on an outdated computer program (it's fun trying to boot up the Windows 7 machines to see which ones will work for lab day). We are looking to upgrade to the standalone systems for photo gate timers. I am noticing that force sensors are not a part of this. Should I be looking for some sort of digital force sensor? I'm thinking that, for example, for a friction lab students would be able to see more clearly how force varies as it starts moving/continues moving as compared to a spring scale. The issue is I'm not finding a lot of digital force sensors. Is this not a common thing in classrooms? Should I be able to do labs with just photo gates?

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5

u/divacphys 11d ago

I've had great success with Vernier Go sensors. If also check to see if your sensors can use the Go adapter that plugs into a USB. That's what I use for my force sensors

3

u/6strings10holes 11d ago

Make sure they don't work on graphicalanalysis.app before giving up on the Vernier sensors.

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u/AmericanMadl 11d ago

Thanks for the tip but we have LabPro which are no longer supported

3

u/SaiphSDC 11d ago

The green interfaces? Correct that those didn't work with the app. My school is going through a similar transition.

But if the sensor is a new enough model for logger pro software to auto detect it and open a relevant file then the sensors will work with the app. This is basically any vernier sensor made in the last decade or so.

You would need to purchase the labquest mini as a new interface if you wish to use the sensors still.

3

u/Worldly_Space 11d ago

We have vernier probes. Started with the lab pro on the ti-83 calculator but over the years have upgraded to the lab quest stream which connects to the student chromebooks and the vernier app. My digital force meters from 20 years ago still work with the new equipment. We have vernier probes for biology, earth science, chemistry and physics.

4

u/itsgeorge 11d ago

You might want to check out Pasco smartcarts. They are wireless and the software is web based and free.

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u/AmericanMadl 11d ago

Oooh this looks good and I love that the website has a video showing how it works

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u/Garroway21 11d ago

The new vernier go sensors also use the web based vernier graphing tool. However, if your chromebooks are as outdated as mine, you'll still have issues.