LECTURE DEMONSTRATION MANUAL | Instructional Research Lab : ucla physics
MacTimer

M.2.4 MacTimer

MacTimer is a versatile program running on a Macintosh that accepts data from one or two photogates or laser switches. The timing choices can be arranged in a number of ways (shown below) to record t's,Dt's, pendulum periods, etc. The times recorded, and velocities and accelerations computed from the data, can be displayed in large numerals for classroom projection. The program will also produce graphs of d, v, and a, against time, and will display error bars, if you wish, and do linear regressions.

Typical applications are:

1. Measuring velocities of air track gliders for kinematics and for collisions.

2. Producing graphs of d, v, and a for a freely falling "picket fence". (See M.9. 1.)

3. Measuring the period of a pendulum.

Many other applications of your own devising are possible. As with all software, you need to play with this a little bit before you take it into the classroom.

mactimer.gif (4114 bytes)

 

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