Measuring and graphing resistance with a PicoBoard and a thermistor

Labeling the Graph

My figures show labels on each graph. These can be created as new sprites using the text tool in Scratch's paint editor. I typically choose to label key points and measurements so that there is some context on the graph.

Collecting a Variety of Data

The examples I used show the resistance of water as it warms. In one case, the water went to boiling, which would represent temperatures that range from approximately 50°F to 212°F. In case you were wondering, the flat line of the boiling water graph indicates that water does not get hotter as it boils, which most adult readers know.

In the other graph, the water warmed from an ice slurry at about 32°F to approximately 64°F, and the graph for this process actually shows a period of unexplained cooling. The sharp increase in resistance midway through the graph indicates a reduction in temperature. This change could have been caused by an ice cube breaking free and resting against the thermistor.

Whatever you choose to monitor, please use caution and do it safely. Freezing a thermistor into an ice cube and then monitoring the resistance as the ice cube melts would be a safe experiment for a young Scratcher.

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