Let There Be Light
Investigating the level of light intensity over a 24-hour period.
PASPORT Light Sensor (PS-2106)
ScienceWorkshop Light Sensor
(CI-6504A)
Lab Summary
Students will use a Light Sensor to investigate the level of light intensity over a 24-hour period. They will also identify potential factors if unexpected results are observed.
Life on earth, no matter what form it assumes, depends ultimately on sunlight.
Whether on land or in the water, green plants use chlorophyll and energy from the sun to turn carbon dioxide, water and inorganic salts into complex organic materials -- mainly carbohydrates and proteins.
This process, called photosynthesis, produces oxygen as a by-product. Photosynthesis is the foundation of all food chains. It's the basic building block for life on earth. In one way or another, animals are dependent on plants for nutrition. As they breathe, animals take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Plants, in turn, use the carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, and the cycle goes on.
The most popular scale for light measurement or luminous intensity is measured and reported in Lux. A light meter is sometimes referred to as a Lux meter. One Lux is equal to the total intensity of light that falls on a one-square-meter surface that is one meter away from the point source of the light.
1 Lux = 1 lumens /sq. meter
Hypothesize: At what points of the day will light intensity level be the highest? The lowest?
Published: November 2002
Downloads
- Let There Be Light - PASPORT (40 KB, .zip)
Includes experiment setup, procedures, and Datastudio file
- Let There Be Light - ScienceWorkshop (40 KB, .zip)
Includes experiment setup, procedures, and Datastudio file
Here's What You Need
U.S. Educator prices shown.
Probeware (PASPORT Systems)
Xplorer GLX (PS-2002) - $349
The Xplorer GLX is a data collection, graphing, and analysis tool designed for science students and educators.
PASPORT Light Sensor (PS-2106A) - $65
Features a wide measurable range by offering three light ranges accommodating various different measurement situations. For use with PASPORT Interfaces.
Probeware (ScienceWorkshop Systems)
750 Interface, USB (CI-7650) - $679
The 750 Interface allows students to measure force, temperature, pressure, angular velocity, acceleration, current, and magnetic field with a built-in function generator and oscilloscope mode.
