Measuring impulse with an apple

Abstract

The physics laboratory has been the scene for numerous examples of computer based instrumentation but few of these have opened new areas for experimental investigation. Rather they have emphasized the undeniable attributes of the computer to collect and/or analyze data with greater precision and speed in the setting of a traditional experiment. One of the motivations for this project was to develop a new kind of laboratory apparatus that might intrigue teachers who had never before used the computer as a laboratory instrument.