Guide to
®
Vernier LabPro
J McMurtry
Munich Int School
Oct 2007
Data Logger Rationale
Why use data loggers?
– For ICT requirement of IA- pgs 30-32 Biology Guide
– Data collection
Fast reactions /Slow reactions
Tables
– Data processing
Selecting relevant data
Rates
Statistics, uncertainty
– Data presentation
Tables
graphs
Data Logger Pro- Set up
Set up
– Connect Lab Pro 3 to power supply, usb port,
probe
– Open Logger Pro software
Data table with time and dependent
variable is displayed
Students should choose which probes to
use for Design (D)
Data Logger Pro- Design
Data Collection preparation
-Students should choose time
intervals and duration of data
collection (DCP)
Data Collection button or
Experiment in toolbar
Data Collection
-Mode (probe dependent)
-Length (msec, sec, min, hrs)
-Rate (probe dependent)
-Triggering
automatic or specific values
Calibration of certain
probes
Ready for Data Collection!
Data Logger Pro- Collection
Click on the
green
collect
button to
start data
collection
Data Logger Pro- Viewing
Click on Autoscale
button in toolbar to
resize the axes makes
the graph more legible
Click on Up and down
arrows to move the
graph
Cursor on axis gives a
squiggled cursor that
allows you to extend or
reduce the scale
Data Logger Pro- Store and Save!
Store data – this does NOT permanently save
your data!
– Experiment in toolbar
Store latest run  “latest run” name turns to “Run 1”
Change name of data set
– Data in toolbar
(or right click in table or double click in “Run 1”)
data set options
“Run 1”  type in your descriptive title
Save file to your documents to preserve data!
– File/Save
Data Logger Pro- Collection
Double click in
column gives
“column options”set headings,
units, add
uncertainties
Each new data
set has a
different colour
Data Logger Pro- Collection
Options in toolbar
-Graph Options--Add title
--show legend
-Table Options –
--select data
from table data
--font selection
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data Processing
-Click on X= button
to show data
points in table and
on graph
-useful to identify
data points and
relationships
between data sets
at given points
Coordinate points of the cursor shown here.
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data Processing
-Select region of
graph to be
analysedhighlighted in
grey
-Data table
shows selected
region
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data
Processing
-Click on R=
button to find
slope and
regressions
-Re-select data regions by
dragging black brackets
-Students can
select which
data sets to be
analysed
Data Logger Pro- Presentation in
Excel
Student can
plot the slopes
from y= mx + b
equations of each
data set to find
rate vs factor
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data Processing
-Click on M=
button to find
tangents for
each data set
-useful to identify
changing slopes
for rate vs factor
graphs
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data Processing
-Click on STAT
button to show
max, min, mean,
median, st. dev,
number of data
points for each
data set
-useful for
statistical tests
Data Logger Pro- Processing
Data Processing
-Click on Integral
button to show
area under the
curve and value
of integral
-useful for some
calculations
Data logger- Processing
Calculated column
1. Data in toolbar/
2. New calculated column
3. Type column name
4. Type heading and unit
5. Select variable column
6. Enter equation
7. Done
Use Options/Graph options
to display calculated
column data
Data Logger Pro- Export data
Data Collection- as students will
not have Vernier software on their
own computers, they can export or
copy the data table to Excel for
their own data presentation and
processing
-BCWD!
-loss of headings, units!
-student generated graphs
-if data is exported via File/export,
all data in 1 column!
Data logger- Presentation
Analyse in toolbar
/ draw prediction
Students can
draw the curve
they expect to
see.
Data logger- Presentation
Insert in
toolbar/
additional
graphs/
histogram
Provides
frequency
counts of
data.
Data logger- Collection
Insert in toolbar / meter various data presentations are
available
Good for teaching about
precision of measurements and
uncertainties
Data logger- Summary
Design
Choice of probes, set intervals + duration
Data Collection
Choice + calibration of probes, types of
meter, select data to analyse
Data Processing
Statistics, LOBF, tangents, integrals,
calculated column
Data Presentation
Data table headings, units, uncertainties,
graph types, copy data to Excel