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Real-world Acceleration Measurements for Engineering Dynamics Course

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Conference

2017 ASEE Mid Atlantic Section Spring Conference

Location

Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland

Publication Date

April 7, 2017

Start Date

April 7, 2017

End Date

April 8, 2017

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

4

DOI

10.18260/1-2--29264

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/29264

Download Count

507

Paper Authors

biography

David RB Kraemer Johns Hopkins University

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After earning his PhD from Johns Hopkins University, Dr Kraemer has focused his career on undergraduate engineering education.
He is currently an Associate Teaching Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University.
Previously, he taught as a Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

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Abstract

For an undergraduate engineering dynamics course, an assignment is developed that allows students to make real-world measurements of accelerations and compare them to the analytically predicted accelerations. Measurements can be made using the students’ smart phones, using readily available software. Measurements can also be made using a homemade accelerometer/datalogger provided by the instructor. This datalogger uses an Arduino micro controller with an LCD screen that allows the user to start and stop recording data from a 3-axis accelerometer at a user-selected sampling rate and store it on an SD card. Data from the SD card can be easily read on a laptop and plotted and analyzed using a spreadsheet. Experiments can be chosen based on student interest, and have included straight-line people-mover train rides, automobiles at constant speed around a corner, automobiles traveling over speed humps, and elevator rides. This experiment allows students to see the applications of dynamics equations in the real world around them, and allows them to more deeply engage in the experimental aspect of the course.

Kraemer, D. R. (2017, April), Real-world Acceleration Measurements for Engineering Dynamics Course Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Mid Atlantic Section Spring Conference, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--29264

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