quick experiments with einstein™

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Battery Tester

Overview

Use your einstein™ Tablet+ along with a Voltage sensor to test your batteries and check out the differences between new batteries, used batteries and those that have worn out.

Equipment einstein™ tablet+ or einstein™ LabMate

TRMS Voltage sensor

Double AA batteries, one new and a few used (preferably for various amounts of time).

Experiment procedure

1. Connect the Voltage sensor to the einstein™ Tablet+.

2. Launch the MiLAB program .

3. Make sure that only the Voltage sensor is selected.

4. Tap .

5. Set the Sampling rate to 10 samples per second.

6. Set the Duration to 3 minutes.

7. Select play to begin recording data.

8. Select Meters for digital readout of the data.

9. Take the new battery and touch the red plug to the positive end of the battery and black

end to the negative end.

10. Note the reading (in volts). It should be 1.5 volts or higher

11. Now try the used batteries. Depending on how long they have been in use they will show

different results. Make sure to try a “dead” battery and note how much voltage they still

produce. You may also want to charge some rechargeable batteries to see if you get

different results.

The Science

Batteries contain three main parts – an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte. When the anode reacts with the electrolyte electrons are released. These electrons are absorbed by the cathode – a process which produces electricity. In a normal battery these reactions are irreversible and so eventually the reactions slow down and stop generating enough power for

the battery to function. Rechargeable batteries are based on chemical reactions that can be reversed allowing the battery to function once more.

Exothermic Reactions

Overview

How often have you seen a movie or TV show where the mad scientist mixes two chemicals

together and they blow up, leaving the scientist with a smoke-stained face and bunch of broken test

tubes? That’s because we are used to reactions being exothermic or releasing energy. But of course

there are other less dramatic reactions. These reactions are called endothermic and they absorb

energy. We can’t really see the effects of these reactions but we can measure them with a

temperature sensor.

Equipment einstein™ tablet, MiLAB

Temperature sensor (-40 °C to 140 °C)

Vinegar

Baking soda

A glass


1. Connect the Temperature sensor to your einstein™ Tablet+™.


3. Make sure that only external Temperature sensor is selected.

4. Tap .

5. Set the Sampling rate to 10 samples per second.

6. Set the Duration to 1 minute.

7. Fill the glass halfway with vinegar.

8. Put the temperature sensor in the glass.

9. Select play to begin recording data.

10. Add the baking soda to the glass.

11. Follow the temperature changes.

The Science

Note how the temperature drops. That is because the reaction creates a product with higher potential energy than the two

original ingredients, this energy is absorbed from the environment causing the lower temperatures.

What’s the pH of Cola?

Overview

pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are acids and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic. Learning about pH is a basic building block for further studies in both chemistry and biology. With this simple experiment using the Einstein tablet+™ students can take their first steps in this subject and see real-world implications in their studies.

Equipment

einstein™ tablet, MiLAB

pH Sensor

1 glass of mineral water

1 glass of Cola


1. Connect the pH sensor to your einstein™ Tablet+.


3. Make sure that only the pH sensor is selected

4. Tap and Set the Rate to 10 Samples per Second and the Duration to 1 minute.

5. Insert the electrode into the glass of water, tap the Run button and wait 1 minute.

6. Insert the electrode into the glass of Cola, tap the Run button and wait 1 minute.

7. Remove the electrode and rinse with mineral water.

(Note: For greater accuracy you can easily calibrate the pH sensor beforehand. You’ll need pH 4 and

pH 7 buffer. Tap the Settings button next to Setup. This will bring up the calibration menu. Insert the electrode into the pH 4 buffer, wait for the readings to stabilize, enter 4 as the Real Reading on

the first line and click the lock button . Repeat this procedure using the pH 7 buffer, entering 7 as the Real Reading on the second line. Then tap Calibrate)

The Science

Note the substantial difference between the readings of the water and the Cola. Why so acidic? In order to produce carbonated beverages carbon dioxide is dissolved in the liquid. This produces

carbonic acid. Lots of sweetener is needed in order to counteract this acidity. That is why carbonated beverages contain such high levels of sugar. It should be noted, however, that contrary to a popular urban myth, a tooth will not dissolve overnight in a glass of Cola.

What is Blood Pressure?

Overview

The heart is essentially a pump using high pressure to move blood throughout our circulatory system of veins and arteries. The Blood Pressure Sensor measures the intensity of this pressure on our arteries. While the heart needs this pressure to circulate blood, too much can damage the arteries. Blood pressure readings consist of two parts - the systolic reading which measures pressure as the heart contracts and forces blood through the system and the diastolic, taken when the heart is relaxed. The systolic is always the higher of the two readings. Blood pressure varies from person to person and can be affected by factors such as age, height, gender, and diet. In this experiment we will test the effect of exercise on blood pressure.

Equipment

LabMate and MiLAB™ Desktop

Blood Pressure sensor

A volunteer subject


1. Launch MiLAB program

2. Wrap the cuff the upper arm of your subject

3. Make sure only the Blood Pressure Sensor is selected in MiLAB

4. The Rate should be 10 /sec

5. The duration should be 120 sec

6. Select Run to begin recording data

7. Squeeze the Air Pressure Pump until the cuff inflates to around 170 mmHg around the

subject’s arm

8. Let the cuff deflate

9. The graph displays your normal blood pressure

10. Have the subject jump or run in place for 60 seconds

11. Squeeze the Air Pressure Pump until the cuff inflates snuggly around the subject’s arm


13. The graph displayed shows your blood pressure after exercise

The Science Blood Pressure is the force carrying blood throughout your body. When you exercise your muscles need extra nutrients and oxygen, both of which are brought to them by blood. This causes an increase in systolic blood pressure as the heart pumps harder to circulate blood faster. However, diastolic pressure drops due to vasodilation, a process whereby blood vessels widen to allow blood to flow more easily through the body.

What is your heart rate? Why is it important?

Overview

The heart is a pumping organ. Blood is forced through the arteries as heart muscles contract. As the blood flows through the arteries it creates a series of waves or pulses which can be measured. We call this measurement the heart rate and it indicates how fast our heart is beating. The heart rate is an important measure of our physical fitness, fewer beats usually means a well-conditioned heart while more beats shows your heart needs to work harder to circulate blood. In this experiment, you will monitor your Resting Heart Rate, see how it is affected by physical activity and discover how quickly it recovers afterwards.

Equipment

Einstein™Tablet+, MiLAB™

Heart Rate Clip


1. Launch MiLAB program

2. Connect the heart rate clip to the device

3. Attach the clip to your finger; make sure you feel metallic point.

4. Make sure only the Heart Rate Sensor is selected in MiLAB

5. Select sensor properties and select √ both Heart Rate 0-200 bmp and Heart Rate 0-5v

6. The rate should be 10 /sec

7. The duration should be 60 sec


9. Wait 60 seconds (for the first 15 seconds, the graph will show your pulse, then a second plot

line will appear indicating the number of beats per second)

10. The graph displays your Resting Heart Rate


12. Jump or run in place for 60 seconds

13. The graph displayed shows your Heart Rate while exercising


15. Rest for 60 seconds

16. The graph displayed is your Recovery Heart Rate

17. How quickly did your heart return to its Resting Heart Rate?

The Science The heart’s main job is to circulate blood throughout the body. This blood is used to distribute oxygen and nutrients to the muscles while carrying away waste products. To force the blood through our bodies the heart muscle expands and contracts 60 to 100 times a minute. Each time that happens, we feel it as a heartbeat. The Heart Rate or Pulse is measured in beats per minute (bpm). Like any muscle, the heart can be conditioned and strengthened by exercise. Your Resting Heart Rate indicates your overall heart health; a strong, well-conditioned heart can pump blood through your system more effectively meaning the heart needs to expand and contract less often. Exercise, however, also significantly affects the heart rate - as we exert ourselves our muscles demand more oxygen and nutrients and the heart must beat faster to increase blood circulation. After exercising the heart begins to return to its normal pattern. A well-conditioned heart, again being more efficient, quickly returns to its resting rate.

Marshmallows under Pressure

Overview:

You may not realize it, but we all live under pressure, atmospheric pressure that is. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted on us by the weight of air molecules in the atmosphere. We usually don’t notice atmospheric pressure, because there is air in our bodies pressing outwards creating an equilibrium. In this experiment, we will force the air out of a glass flask containing a few marshmallows and then let the air back in, which will allow us to observe air pressure’s surprising strength. We will use a pressure sensor to monitor the air pressure within the flask.

Equipment

einstein™ tablet+, MiLAB

Pressure sensor (150 – 1150 mbar)

Manual vacuum pump

Sensor cables

250 ml suction flask

Rubber stopper with a hole for the flask extender

Tubing

Syringe extender with valve

Several marshmallows


1. Launch MiLAB

2. Connect the pressure sensor to the device

3. Connect the pressure sensor to the syringe extender

4. Make sure only the Pressure sensor (150-1150 mbar) is selected

5. Select Rate and set the sampling rate to 10 /sec

6. Select Duration and set the duration to 200 sec

7. Use the tubing to connect the manual pump to the flask via the side tube

8. Make sure the valve is closed to air entering the flask


10. Use the manual pump to expel the air from the flask, monitor the change with the Pressure

sensor and observe the marshmallows

11. Turn the valve to let the air back in the flask and observe the marshmallows

The Science

Why did the marshmallows expand and then shrink? In the process of making the marshmallows, numerous tiny air bubbles are trapped within creating outward pressure counterbalancing the outside air pressure. When we decrease the air pressure around the marshmallow, the internal pressure from these bubbles can push outwards unimpeded. When the external pressure returns, the equilibrium is reestablished. A similar effect would occur if we sent the marshmallows into outer space, since air pressure there is zero (complete vacuum).

What Happens in a Terrarium?

Overview

Terrariums are an excellent tool for studying environmental science. A closed system, like a terrarium allow for scientific study of such phenomena as the greenhouse effect, the effect of photosynthesis. We can also contrast the conditions inside a terrarium to that outside this closed system.

Equipment An einstein™ LabMate™, a PC running MiLAB™Desktop

Surface Temperature sensor

A Light sensor

A Humidity sensor


1. Launch MiLAB 2. Connect the Light, Humidity and Temperature sensors to the LabMate 3. In Current Setup select the sensors including the internal Light, Humidity and Temperature

sensors 4. In Full Setup set the

a. Rate to 1 /sec b. Duration to 2 hours

5. Select Run

The Science There are several systems going on inside a terrarium. Light enters the terrarium’s clear outside as high frequency waves. These waves are absorbed by the soil and plants in the terrarium which then radiate heat. Because heat takes the form of low frequency waves, the walls block these waves keeping the heat inside and raising the temperature inside the terrarium. This closed environment also allows the terrarium to create its own water cycle, where water is used by the plants, absorbed into the air where it condenses on the container walls and then reenters the soil. Therefore the terrarium is far more humid than the outside environment.

Blocking UV Radiation

Overview

The rays of the sun are electromagnetic and different types of rays have different wavelengths. Some of the sun's rays are visible, what we would call sunlight, among the invisible ones are infrared rays that we feel as heat. There are some rays that we can't see or feel – such as ultraviolet or UV rays. In this experiment we will measure different materials to see how effective they are in blocking UV radiation and discuss the effect of UV radiation on our biological systems

Equipment Einstein™ tablet, MiLAB

Sunglasses

White T-shirt

Sunscreen

Plastic bag



2. Make sure that only UV sensor is selected.

3. Set the sampling rate to 10 /sec.

4. Set the duration to 20 sec.

5. Point the UV sensor toward the UV lamp and click Run to measure how strong the UV rays

are without any protection.

6. Keep the tablet the same distance from the UV lamp but this time place the sunglasses

between the sensor and the lamp.


8. Measure again from the same spot, this time placing the T-shirt between the sensor and the

lamp.


10. This time we’ll test sunscreen. Since we can’t put the sunscreen directly on the sensor, we’ll

use a plastic bag. Spread some sunscreen on the bag.

11. Measure again from the same spot, this time placing the bag with the sunscreen between

the sensor and the lamp.


The Science

There are three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC is dangerous. Luckily, it gets blocked by the ozone layer and doesn't reach us. UVB is partially blocked by the ozone layer, but a small portion is transmitted through the atmosphere. Limited exposure to UVB radiation produces vitamin D in our bodies, and that's good for us. But longer exposure to UVB can cause damage through sunburn, aging of the skin. UVA radiation isn't stopped in the atmosphere. It can hurt your eyes and even cause skin cancer. Sunscreen helps block these rays with chemicals like zinc oxide that deflects rays and organic chemicals that absorb harmful rays.

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