Physics Toolbox Accelerometer

This accelerometer sensor app measures and displays multiple forms of kinematics (motion) data, including the g-Force Meter, Linear Accelerometer, Gyroscope, and Inclinometer. It displays relevant information in x, y, and/or z dimensions, as well as total magnitude in graphical, digital, and vector formats.

Users can export .csv data for further analysis in a spreadsheet or plotting tool. Click on settings to plot data against elapsed time or clock time, to change the plot line thickness, or to change data collection rate. A brief tutorial upon start-up gives an overview of how to use the app.

This app can be especially useful for monitoring changes in acceleration in vehicles or airplanes, and to monitor vibrations of any sort. This app can be used in the classroom to hep students quantify activities with Newton's 2nd Law by taking a mobile device with the app on field trips to amusement park rides, roller coasters, or even in elevators for standard "elevator problems." Because G-Force is the ratio of normal force / weight of the object in question, students can the known mass of the object in question to quantitatively draw force diagrams throughout the object's motion.

Permissions Explained:

android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: A csv file is created and modified on the phone's internal memory.

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to see modifications/updates, please email me at [email protected]