THE USE OF SMARTPHONES IN THE PHYSICS CLASS: DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS
THE USE OF SMARTPHONES IN THE PHYSICS CLASS: DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS

Summary/Abstract: In the study of Physics the first types of quantitative determinations consist in distance measurements. The regular measurement instruments present in a Physics laboratory (ruler, measuring tape etc.) enable the determination of small and medium distances, a process which is time consuming and has a limited level of precision. The advancements of mobile technology have led to a significant improvement in the method, precision and speed with which such measurements are performed. Most students possess a smartphone whose acceleration sensor enables them to perform distance measurements during the Physics class. Some Android applications (Smart Ruler, Smart Measure, Theodolite etc.) process the data received from the accelerometer, displaying the values of the measured distances. In this study I will focus on the use of these applications and on the experimental results obtained in measuring different types of distances, which cover a wide range of values. The measurements were performed on horizontally and vertically placed objects. The students enhanced their practical abilities in measuring the dimensions of a classroom and of a sport field and also determined the height of the school, of some public buildings, of surrounding trees and of a river bridge. The determinations performed using a smartphone were compared, in terms of precision and execution, with the classical methods of determinations, based on trigonometric calculus, using tape measures and protractors. The part which triggered the students' interest most consisted in topometric measurements performed outside the classroom. The students measured the width of a river in an area where there was a significant distance between the shores. By employing smartphones in distance measurement activities, the students transcend the limited domain of laboratory determinations, as they reestablish the connection with their surrounding world through the Physics experiments.

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