Objective
Becoming oriented with the different programs and equipment utilized over the duration of this quarter was the objective. In this lab, a temperature probe and a Vernier Lab Pro computer interface measured temperature data. The Logger Pro Software collected the evidence and created graphs illustrating the information. After transferring the measurements, Microsoft Excel aided in calculating the averages of constant data as well as the standard deviation around the mean. After performing all of the necessary calculations, Microsoft Word assisted in compiling all the relative material into one final report.
Theory
This experiment will test the idea that heat will flow from an area of higher energy to an area of lower energy until the
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We then got the Logger Pro software up and running on the computer, ready to record data.
Procedure A wanted us to record the ambient air of the room. To make this measurement, we held the thermometer by its plastic handle and allowed the Logger Pro system to record the temperature for 50 seconds. The graph of the data appeared to be a straight line, aside from minor fluctuations, indicating a constant temperature. We then used the data to calculate the number of points (N), the mean (Tavg), and standard deviation (σ) of the ambient room temperature.
Procedure B then instructed us to record the temperature of a student’s hand. To ensure we would get the entire reading, we increased the reading time to 200 seconds. We did not use the entire 200 seconds, but this made sure we wouldn’t run out of time before the temperature reading reached equilibrium. We let the thermometer measure the ambient air for 10 seconds before grabbing the thermometer. The student then held the thermometer until the temperature leveled off for 4-5 seconds. It’s important to note the student shouldn’t adjust their hand grip on the thermometer. This will cause unnecessary fluctuations in the data. This process took 75.5 seconds to complete. We then found the mean temperature, the difference in temperature between the temperature readings and the final temperature of the hand,