Light Law

Use a light probe to explore an example of an inverse square law

Publisher: Texas Instruments UK

Editor: Barrie Galpin

Author: Ian Galloway

Topic:  Matematik

Tags  Fysik ,  STEM

In this activity students study the relationship between light intensity and distance from a light source. Using a light sensor connected to a TI-Nspire handheld, data can be collected in a spreadsheet. The data is plotted and a power regression carried out.

Having decided that there may be an inverse square law operating, light intensity can be plotted against 1/(distance)2. Plotted points lie approximately on a straight line and a straight line of best fit can be fitted by eye.

There are more details about this activity in Capturing Data: Modelling and Interpretation, one of a series of booklets presenting STEM Activities with TI-Nspire, published by Texas Instruments in April 2010.

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