Graphing Tool
We show how to use lists in Scratch to collect resistance measurements and graph the results with the pen tool.
Measuring and graphing resistance with a PicoBoard and a thermistor
Lead Image © kudryashka, 123RF.com
Scratch has long been able to connect to the physical world by way of a PicoBoard, which is an external device that plugs into the USB port of a computer or a Raspberry Pi. The PicoBoard [1] measures resistance, sound, and button clicks and includes a slider control. In this project, I'll show you how to use a PicoBoard's alligator clips to measure resistance, and just to kick up the experiment a bit, I'll use a thermistor to measure the resistance of water as it warms or cools.
A thermistor is a type of resistor that is often used to measure temperature because its resistance varies significantly based on the temperature. Thermistors can be found at an electronics supply store or purchased from online retailers.
To set some context and purpose, this project can be used as an experiment to observe how evenly the water heats up or cools down. Is the process subtle or abrupt? If you're measuring boiling water, what happens to the temperature after the water boils? Additionally, the project can be scaled back and used to measure the resistance of individual objects. You can download my sample project complete with a text file of measurements online [2].
[...]
Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).
Buy this article as PDF
Express-Checkout as PDF
Pages: 4
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)
(incl. VAT)
Buy Raspberry Pi Geek
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Related content
-
Exploring the PicoBoard sensors
This project uses the slider, light sensor, and resistance sensors on the PicoBoard to connect your Scratch project to the physical world. The two examples create musical fruits and veggies and a PicoBoard joystick.
-
Stop-motion animation
Stop-motion animation doesn't require expensive cameras and movie editing software. With Scratch and a Pi camera, you can become your own director, producer, and publisher.
-
How to create a scrolling sprite project
With the help of an existing project, we show you how to program scrolling sprites in a series or in a continuous loop.
-
Build a simple shooter game
We show how to use Scratch sprites to shoot at various targets.
-
Synchronizing with broadcasts
This article draws inspiration from the popular Pokémon Go app to recreate a sprite hunting game in Scratch. The project explores synchronization and randomness as the player explores various backdrops in search of sprites.
