Pêndulos físicos acoplados por molas: uma investigação por videoanálise e arduino

Abstract

The use of free educational technologies in the teaching of Physics has attracted significant interest from the scientific community and within the classroom to add to more effective and autonomous learning. In this context, carrying out experimental activities in physics classes mediated by technological tools that allow students to become central and active agents in the learning process and that present flexibility of use, low cost, and at the same time a good precision of physical measurements are of fundamental importance within the context of modern education. Thus, to contemplate these aspects, we propose an analysis of the dynamics of oscillations of free physical pendulums and spring coupling. The measurements are performed using two approaches: (i) a rotary incremental encoder connected to an Arduino board for angular displacement measurements and (ii) Tracker, a free video analysis software. The results obtained by both methods present very satisfactory results among themselves and good agreement with the theoretical model. In the particular case of the uncoupled physical pendulum, we verified how the period of oscillation depends on the pendulum’s mass distribution. In addition, the acceleration of gravity and the total moment of inertia of the system were obtained in agreement with the theoretical model. For the system of two coupled physical pendulums, we used Tracker to analyze important information regarding the period of oscillation for symmetrical and antisymme trical modes and the period of the beat in terms of the position of the coupling springs. Lastly, the 3D components modeling and impression techniques, as well as data collection methods with the Arduino and Tracker, show themselves to be of great relevance to teaching Physics, and open up to the investigation doors to more advanced systems based in Arduino.