Background:

Many technologies are available for collecting data in the science classroom. The technology labs on the Science 10 site are written with Pasco hardware and DataStudio software in mind, but substition of other probeware systems into the general steps of the labs should be relatively easy.

However, to provide those of you with calculator-based systems, we provide this page of tips, hints, and specific correlations to the technology labs you will find on the site.

You can simply browse this tutorial, or use the following index to navigate to the different sections:

Hardware:

Many schools already use Texas Instruments technologies as well, especially in mathematics classes. The TI 83+ graphing calculator (or the TI 83+ Silver Edition) combined with the Calculator Based Laboratory (CBL-2) interface system provides a portable data collection and analysis system. The calculator, cradled on the CBL-2, can be used with a wide variety of Vernier probes, all very similar to the Pasco system.

TI and Vernier have excellent support systems. Explore the following sites for lots of support with calculator based data gathering:

• http://education.ti.com/educationportal/index.jsp
• http://education.ti.com/us/global/latest.html
• http://www.vernier.com

Here are some of the hardware items that are available in the CBL system (many of the following are referred to in the following hints and tips):

Software:

If you use the TI 83+ family of calculators, you can use TI Connect software to transfer data both ways between the calculator and computer. TI Interactive software or Vernier's Graphical Analysis software provide similar display and analysis functions as Pasco's DataStudio.

Introduction to DataMate. (Teacher note: for information on customized professional development, visit the TI Educational Consultant page).

TI 83+ calculators have the ability to download and store specialized, complex programs called Applications (APPS). The APP called DataMate should already be installed in most new 83+ calculators, but if not, it can easily be downloaded from a CBL-2 or from the TI website given above. DataMate allows your to customize and automate your data collection with the CBL-2. You can use several probes simultaneously, choose the frequency and length of time you wish to collect data, display the data in various formats, and work with the data in a variety of ways such as cropping data and performing a variety of analyses.

If you do not already have DataMate on your TI 83+, go here to find out how to download it from a CBL-2.

To use DataMate, it is most convenient to place the TI 83+ calculator and the CBL-2 in the cradle and connect them with a short unit-to-unit link cable. Ensure that the cable is fully inserted into both the calculator and the CBL-2, as a "Link Error" is the most common problem with this system. Choose any compatible probe and plug it into CH 1 on the CBL-2. With your calculator turned on, press the blue APPS button, and choose DataMate by pressing the corresponding number key as shown on the calculator screen. When DataMate finishes opening, you will see the Main Screen for DataMate, where you will be able to monitor the readings for the probes.

HINT: If the DataMate Main Screen does not show the correct probe, or is reading unreasonable values, press CLEAR on the calculator key pad to reset probes.

The DataMate Main Screen (above) shows Channel 1 has a temperature probe connected to measure in Celsius degrees. The current temperature reading is 19.71 degrees

C. DataMate is set up to measure a Time Graph over a total time interval of 180 s or three minutes. From the Main Screen, you will be able to do the following by pressing the corresponding number key on the calculator:

Menu Item 1 - Setup:

• Choose custom probes got each channel, although the probes used in this course should all automatically set up themselves.
• Change the Mode to customize data collection by scrolling to Mode one step at a time, and pressing ENTER. Time Graph will be the most useful mode for your level of use. In Time Graph, press 2 to change time settings. You can set the Time Interval in seconds between data collections from approximately .005 s to thousands of seconds for long-term data gathering. You can also select the number of samples to gather from one to about 500 or more data values, depending on your calculator’s available memory. (Note: The TI 83 will allow a maximum of 99 data values while the TI 83+ and the TI 83SE have much larger memories.)

• Setup also gives you the capability to calibrate or zero your probes for special situations as needed.

Menu Item 2 - Start:

• Will start the data collection according to how you set the Mode in 1b above. The CBL will give a “beep” sound as it starts collecting data, and again when it is done.

Menu Item 3 - Graph:

• View an auto-scaled graph of your last data collection run. Press ENTER to see the Graph Menu screen (below). From this screen, you can follow links to select a specific region of your graph, rescale the graph, or plot different graphs using any of the variables for which you collected data.

Menu Item 4 - Analyze:

• Allows you to do a variety of analyses on your graph, or the selected region. You can quickly fit a curve to the data, run the statistics for the data, or determine the integrated value under the graph for a chosen interval.

Menu Item 5 - Tools:

• Will allow you to store data from the last run and allow you to do another run without losing the data. You can do this twice to give you a total of three sets of data stored in the calculator.

Menu Item 6 - Quit:

• Will properly quit or exit DataMate without causing problems in further use of your calculator. Failure to properly exit DataMate can cause some minor problems in shutting off your calculator.

Example:

The screen shot below shows a graph obtained by heating a temperature probe with hand friction for a few seconds, and then letting it cool in the air near an open window. Data was collected with a time interval of 1 s for 80 s. Tracing along the graph with the “satellite” cursor shows the maximum temperature measured was about 37.3 degrees C (Y value) at a time of 22 s (X value).

When you are finished, ensure that you shut DataMate off properly so that your calculator will continue to work properly. To do this, go to the Main Screen in DataMate and press 6 to Quit. As you exit DataMate, read your screens carefully as they will tell you where your data is stored.

Data is not lost when you close DataMate, it is still stored in the calculator lists. You can still graph and analyze this data using the variety of Stat Plot and Stat Calc features of the calculator. If you use the TI 83+ calculator, you will likely learn to do this in your mathematics class.

Downloading DataMate from a CBL-2

Connect your TI 83+ calculator to the CBL-2 using a unit-to-unit link cable. Ensure that the cable is fully inserted into both the calculator and the CBL-2, as a "Link Error" is the most common problem with this system. With your calculator turned on, press 2nd (the yellow button) then X,T, (the key with LINK in yellow above it, beside the green key). Press the right cursor arrow, then ENTER. There should be a message in the calculator window saying "Waiting…". Now, on the CBL-2, press the Transfer button. DataMate will now be transferred to your calculator. This may take a few minutes. Follow any instruction messages that appear on your calculator screen.

If you are using a TI 83 calculator, there is no APPS button or APPS capability. You can still download DataMate using the same method as above. The only problem is that the TI 83 has far less memory capacity than the 83+, and DataMate will be stored as a set of programs in the calculator. To facilitate this, you should delete most of your programs and clear all lists from the 83 before beginning.

Fermentation - text page 13

To employ CBL with this activity, replace the following steps:

Use the left or right arrow keys to trace along the graphs and read values from the graph. Use the up or down arrow keys to change from one graph to the other.

Match-a-Graph - text pages 129-130

Once you start, you will have 10 s to move to match the given graph. Once you have completed one graph, press ENTER again to do another match, or repeat the same match.

Hold the CBR and calculator in your hand with the sensor window pointing at a smooth wall. Make sure there is no clutter in the way as this can ruin your data. You must be less than six metres, and more than 0.4 m, away from the wall.

Remember, as you move towards the wall, it is as if the wall is moving back towards the CBR, and as you move away from the wall, it is as if the wall is moving away from you.

Teacher Note: Use the TI ViewScreen-the overhead pallet that connects to the teacher ViewScreen calculator. Cut a piece of overhead acetate to fit the ViewScreen window and use an overhead marker to make up your own graphs for students to match. Make sure the CBR is set to Real Time.

Toy Car Speed - text pages 129-130

Step 1:

Connect the CBR to the TI 83+ calculator using a unit-to-unit link cable. Ensure that the cable is fully inserted into both the calculator and the CBR, as a "Link Error" is the most common problem with this system. Turn on the calculator, press PRGM, and scroll down the screen to Ranger by using the down arrow cursor key. Press ENTER to select the Ranger program, then ENTER again to run the program. Follow any directions on your screen. Once Ranger opens, choose menu item 1:Setup, and set as shown in screen shot. To change a menu setting, move the cursor to the menu item and press enter to change it.

Step 3:

If your graph does not show a smooth motion, or is affected by clutter, try re-aiming the CBR, or place it on a book or two so that it is several centimetres above the surface. Move the cursor up to Start Now and press ENTER to reset the CBR, then follow the screen directions. Once you have a graph with some good data, you can select the range so that only good data is shown by selecting the Plot Menu from the Main Menu, and then Select Domain and following screen prompts.

You may also download your graph and data to a computer using TI Connect or TI Interactive software.

Velocity and Time - text pages 131-132

Step 1:

Connect the CBR to the TI 83+ calculator using a unit-to-unit link cable. Ensure that the cable is fully inserted into both the calculator and the CBR, as a "Link Error" is the most common problem with this system. Turn on the calculator, press PRGM, and scroll down the screen to Ranger by using the down arrow cursor key. Press ENTER to select the Ranger program, then ENTER again to run the program; or you may find Ranger in the APP called CBL/CBR. Follow any directions on your screen. Once Ranger opens, press 3:Applications, then scroll to the units you wish to use and press ENTER and then press ENTER and then press 2:Velocity Match. Follow the directions on the screen. Once you start, you will have 10 s to move to match the given graph. Once you have completed one graph, press ENTER again to do another match, or repeat the same match.

Hold the CBL and calculator in your hand with the sensor window pointing at a smooth wall. Make sure there is no clutter in the way as this can ruin your data. You must be less than six metres, and more than 0.4 m, away from the wall.

Remember, as you move towards the wall, it is as if the wall is moving back towards the CBR, and as you move away from the wall, it is as if the wall is moving away from you.

Teacher Note: Use the TI ViewScreen-the overhead pallet that connects to the teacher ViewScreen calculator. Cut a piece of overhead acetate to fit the ViewScreen window and use an overhead marker to make up your own graphs for students to match. Make sure the CBR is set to Real Time.

Work = Kinetic Energy - text pages 157-160

Materials:

• Force sensor
• CBR
• CBL-2
• CBR-CBL connector cable

Step 1:

Connect the Force probe to CH 1, and the CBR to the Dig/Sonic input of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the force and distance values on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 0.02 and Number of Samples = 200. (If the cart system moves slowly, you may need to increase the Time Interval and/or the Number of Samples so that the total experiment time fits your situation.) Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate. Use the DataMate options to zero the force probe when it is in a horizontal position as it will be when mounted on the dynamics cart. Return to DataMate Main Screen.

Step 2:

Mount the force probe and the CBR on the dynamics cart using tape or strong elastic bands. Point the CBR sensor window to the back towards a nearby wall, or a flat target such as a cardboard box about 50 cm away.

Step 6:

When the cart is pulled its farthest away from the end stop, start DataMate recording data by pressing 2 on the calculator key pad. As soon as the CBR starts clicking, release the cart. Once the graph appears, you may edit the graph by selecting the region containing good data by pressing ENTER to return to the main screen:

Then press 3 to show the graph again, then press ENTER to give the graph editing screen.

Press 2 to select a region by scrolling and entering a left bound and a right bound. Data outside these bounds will be deleted.

You can plot separate graphs of velocity-time and force-distance by returning to the graph editing screen and pressing 4:More.

Use the right or left cursor arrow buttons on your calculator to trace the data points on the velocity-time graph to find the maximum value of velocity.

On the force-distance graph, you can integrate a selected range by returning to the Main Screen, pressing 4:Analyze, and then pressing 5:Integral and selecting the region over which you wish to integrate.

You may also download your graph and data to a computer using TI Connect or TI Interactive software, where you can do further analyses similar to that done by DataStudio.

Electromagnetic Induction - text pages 165-166

Step 2:

Connect the Voltage probe to CH 1 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the voltage value on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = .01 and Number of Samples = 300. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate and continue to monitor voltage.

Step 6:

Place the magnet just inside the coil. To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad. As soon as you hear the CBL beep, immediately drop the magnet through the coil.

Step 7:

Once the graph appears, you may edit it to show only the good data range by following the links as shown below, then following the directions given on the screen.

Sand in a Bottle - text pages 169-170

Step 2:

Connect the Temperature probe to CH 1 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the temperature value on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 1 and Number of Samples = 130. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate.

Step 3:

Monitor the temperature on the DataMate Main Screen for about 30 s or until the temperature stabilizes. Record the temperature.

Step 5:

As soon as the temperature probe is in the sand, start collecting data by pressing 2 on the calculator keypad. Wait until data collection is complete. The graph will appear automatically and you can find the final temperature of the sand as the maximum value on the graph.

You can have a total of three runs with DataMate and graph them all together or separately.

Step 5a:

Return to DataMate Main Screen.

4. To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad.

You may look at both graphs simultaneously by pressing ENTER to get to the Main Screen, then press 3:Graph. The last run will be graphed. Pressing ENTER again will bring you to the graph edit screen. Press 4:More and choose item 6 to graph the last two runs together.

Press TRACE to scroll along the graph and record values of pressure and time at each end of the straightest parts of the graph. To move between runs, use the up or down arrows on the keypad.

Step 1:

Connect the pressure probe to CH 1 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the pressure value on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 2 and Number of Samples = 300. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate and continue to monitor pressure.

Step 4:

To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad. After 10 minutes (600 s) data collection will stop and your graph will automatically be displayed. You may download your graph and data to a computer using TI Connect or TI Interactive software; or, you may save the last run on DataMate by pressing ENTER to get to the Main Screen, then press 5:Tools and then 1:Store Latest Run.

Press TRACE to scroll along the graph and record values of pressure and time at each end of the straightest parts of the graph. To move between runs, use the up or down arrows on the keypad.

Use the left or right cursor arrows to scroll along the graph to determine the maximum and minimum pressure values and record these values for each trial.

Step 7:

You will need to download your graph and data to a computer using TI Connect or TI Interactive software; or record your data in some other fashion before doing a fourth trial.

Step 9:

Use the left or right cursor arrows to scroll along the graph to determine the maximum and minimum pressure values and record these values for each trial.

You can have a total of three runs with DataMate and graph them all together or separately.

Step 5:

If you stored the first run in DataMate, you may look at both graphs simultaneously by pressing ENTER to get to the Main Screen, then press 3:Graph. The last run will be graphed. Pressing ENTER again will bring you to the graph edit screen. Press 4:More and choose item 6 to graph the last two runs together.

Press TRACE to scroll along the graph and record values of pressure and time at each end of the straightest parts of the graph. To move between runs, use the up or down arrows on the keypad.

Use the left or right arrow keys to trace along the graphs and read values from the graph. Use the up or down arrow keys to change from one graph to the other.

Software and Probeware Setup:

Connect the temperature probes to CH 1 and CH 2 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the temperature value on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 5 and Number of Samples = 360. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate.

Data Collection & Recording:

1. To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad.

6. Data collection will automatically stop in 30 minutes, or, you can press STO (the key to the left of the 1 key) to end data collection and view your graph.

Data Analysis:

To view both graphs together, press ENTER to return to DataMate Main Screen, then 3:Graph, then press ENTER again to display the Graph Edit screen. Press 4:More to be able to choose a variety of graph options. Choice 6 will display both graphs.

Step 1:

Connect the temperature probe to CH 1 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the temperature value on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 1 and Number of Samples = 150. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate.

Step 4:

To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad. Data collection will automatically stop in 2.5 minutes, or, you can press STO (the key to the left of the 1 key) to end data collection and view your graph.

Save the data after each of the first two trials by returning to the DataMate Main Screen, pressing 5:Tools, and then 1:Store latest run.

Step 6:

After stopping the data gathering of the last trial, press ENTER to return to DataMate Main Screen, then 3:Graph, then press ENTER again to display the Graph Edit screen. Press 4:More to be able to choose a variety of graph options. Choice 7 will display all three graphs together.

Use the left or right arrow keys to trace along the graphs and read values from the graph. Use the up or down arrow keys to change from one graph to the other.

Software Setup:

You may want to ensure that your CBL-2 batteries are fresh, or use an external power supply. Connect the barometer probe to CH 1 of the CBL-2/calculator system. Start DataMate and monitor the barometer reading on the DataMate Main Screen. If the readings do not make sense, press CLEAR to reset DataMate and probes. Set DataMate Mode to Time Graph with settings of Time Interval = 300 and Number of Samples = 288. Return to DataMate Main Screen by selecting OK as appropriate.

Data Recording:

To start collecting data, press 2 on the calculator keypad. Follow the directions given on the screen. If you "Quit", the calculator will "go to sleep" after a period of time, but will still continue collecting data and will stop automatically after 24 hours. At this point, you will need to start DataMate again and follow the screen messages to retrieve the data from the CBL-2. Once the data is retrieved, the graph will automatically be scaled to fit the calculator screen.