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Thermometer's time constant
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Thermometer's time constant

The purpose of the experiment is to give a quantitative explanation of the thermometer's time constant. This gives insight into the heat sensitivity of the thermometer.

10–20 min
Calore e temperatura
thermometer; time constant; thermal response

Cosa imparano gli studenti

  • Time constant of a thermometer
  • Newton's law of heating or cooling

La scienza alla base di questo esperimento

Let us suppose we have a thermometer at room thermal equilibrium with temperature equal to T0. If we place at t=0 seconds the thermometer in the beaker with boiling water at T1 = 100 °C it’s possible to observe the following behaviour on the thermometer reading as a function of time.

That means that the thermometer takes a certain time to read the actual temperature according to its readiness to respond to the external input.

Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of sound.

The word "acoustic" is derived from the Greek word ακουστικός (akoustikos), meaning "of or for hearing, ready to hear" which derives from the verb ακούω (akouo), "I hear". The Latin synonym is "sonic". After acousticians had extended their studies to frequencies above and below the audible range, it became conventional to identify these frequency ranges as "ultrasonic" and "infrasonic" respectively, while letting the word "acoustic" refer to the entire frequency range without limit.

The fundamental and the first 6 overtones of a vibrating string. The earliest records of the study of this phenomenon are attributed to Ancient Chinese 3000 BCE.

The entire spectrum can be divided into three sections: audio, ultrasonic, and infrasonic. The audio range falls between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. This range is important because its frequencies can be detected by the human ear. This range has a number of applications, including speech communication and music.

In this manual we will suggest simple experiences that can be performed with a pair of tuning forks. A tuning-fork is a sound generator. It was invented by John Shore, royal trumpeter in 1711, and it is used for determining musical pitch and also in sound experiments. It is a generator of pure sound of well determined frequency constituted by a metallic elastic body that, vibrating, generates in the surrounding air longitudinal elastic waves of acoustic frequencies.

In fact when they are excited, for instance because they are hit with a hammer, the prongs get nearer creating in the near space a slight “depression” at the exterior and a slight compression at the interior.

Vibrating periodically the tuning-fork alternatively compresses and rarefies the surrounding air that transmits this perturbation in the form of longitudinal waves that move away from the source. When these waves reach the ear they cause the sound perception.

Emission of sound from a tuning fork, due to rarefaction and compression of the surrounding air.

Two notes with fundamental frequencies in a ratio of any power of two (e.g. half, twice, or four times) are perceived as very similar. Because of that, all notes with these kinds of relations can be grouped under the same pitch class.

The eighth note, or octave is given the same name as the first, but has double its frequency. In order to differentiate two notes that have the same pitch class but fall into different octaves, the system of scientific pitch notation combines a letter name with an Arabic numeral designating a specific octave.

Attrezzatura utilizzata

  • Mixing calorimeter — 4230.60
  • Thermometer -10° / +110° — 2240.15
  • Cronometro digitale — 2231.52
  • Beaker low form, borosilicate glass — 1118.20-35-50

Sostanze chimiche e reagenti

Note sulla sicurezza

Domande per gli studenti

Cosa aspettarsi

Smaltimento

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Questo esperimento fa parte dell’ATP “ Mobile Lab ” — un laboratorio autonomo che trasforma una normale aula in un vero e proprio laboratorio scientifico, con oltre 200 esperimenti di fisica, chimica, biologia, robotica e ingegneria. “ Gali ”, il tutor basato sull’intelligenza artificiale integrato in ATP Connect, guida gli studenti in ogni fase e risponde alle loro domande direttamente al banco di lavoro.

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