RCX Datalogging

Initial Experiments with Datalogging Software

This software was designed by Rod Shepherd and Rod and Emma O'Brien have been working with schools to get the datalogging up and running.

Pupils used the Data Logging Software and the RCX to take Light and Temperature readings during the night at the school. The RCX was placed inside the window and the light and temperature sensors were placed outside the window. Readings were taken every ten minutes throughout the night.

Rod Shepherd, who designed the software took similar readings in Dublin city centre on the same night.

Dónal, a pupil of Newcastle N.S., one of our partner schools in the project, took similar readings in the suburbs of Dublin. There was a problem with this RCX on that night and so the readings we have for the suburbs relate to a different night.

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Datalogger Interface

This is what the Datalogger interface looks like. The logged data columns will contain the data when it is uploaded from the RCX. It can then be saved to a text file and the text file can be opened in Excel to graph the data.

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Satellite Weather Photographs

January 21st, 2002 at 16.00 hours.	January 22nd, 06.00 hours.
These satellite weather photographs are available from the Dundee University website.

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Light & Temperature Readings, Clontubrid, January 21st-22nd.

Readings by Clontubrid Pupils

This is the graph of the Light and Temperature readings which pupils collected for Clontubrid from 4.00 p.m. on January 21st to 9.00 a.m. on January 22nd. The readings were collected using light/temperature sensors and the RCX brick. They were then uploaded to the computer using the Infra Red tower and saved as a text file. The text file was then imported into Excel and the readings graphed.

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The readings above were taken at ten-minute inytervals. The time just before sunrise was the coldest and the temperature was falling from the previous evening until that time. Then the temperature slowly began to rise. These observations surprised the children. It was not the pattern that they expected.

The light levels fell quickly to a zero reading. The light levels stayed at zero until shortly before sunrise and then rose quickly. The rapid fall and rise in light levels compared to the slower fall and rise of temperature levels was also a surprise to the pupils (and teachers!!)

Light & Temperature Readings, Dublin, January 21st-22nd

Readings by Roderick Shepherd

These are the readings which Rod Shepherd got in the centre of Dublin on the same night. The readings did not begin until 6.00 p.m. in the evening.

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Pupils noticed that the pattern for the fall in temperature was different and that the temperature was higher than in Clontubrid.

They also noticed that the light readings never fell to zero in the city and that the morning light came a little earlier (farther east).

Light & Temperature Readings, Dublin Suburb, January 22nd-23rd

Readings by Donal Murphy

These readings were taken by Dónal in the suburbs of Dublin. Due to a problem with the RCX these readings are for the following night so it was difficult to compare the figures, especially the temperature figures. The light readings are similar to those at Clontubrid.

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Observations of Pupils

Pupils discussed the readings from the three different locations and compared the figures. They had also been asked to predict what the readings might show before they were taken. The following is a small selection the observations of pupils which arose during the discussions:

• It was brighter in Dublin than Clontubrid.
• It was warmer in Dublin than in Clontubrid.
• By 10.00 it was brighter in Dublin than Clontubrid.
• In Clontubrid the coldest part of the night was after 7.00 a.m. This was surprising.
• When the sun rose the light rose quickly to the same as the evening before.
• The temperature rose much slower.
• In the suburbs the temperature didn’t change very much during the night. This was a different night.

Clontubrid was darker. Why?

• “Dublin is brighter because of the street lights.” –Róisín. (Age 10)
• “I think the reason that the light in Dublin never goes down to 0 is because the cars headlights and the street lights are on.” – Adam. (Age 12).

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It was colder in Clontubrid. Why?

• “The reason is that Dublin is nearer to the sea.” –Sharon. (Age 11).
• “Dublin is warmer because it has more houses and more heating would escape.” – Niall & Jamie. (Age Both 9).

What part of the night did you think would be coldest?

• “I thought the coldest part of the night would be 2.00 or 3.00 a.m.” –Deirdre. (Age 9).
• “I thought the coldest part of the night would be about 3.00a.m. or 4.00a.m.” – Sarah. (Age 10).
• “I thought the coldest part would be 2.00 or 3.00 a.m. but the time is 7.00 a.m.” –Sinead. (Age 10).

Why do you think it was coldest about 7.00a.m.?

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• “Because the moon was gone and the sun was not up.” -Roseanne. (Age 9).
• “Because it was near the end of the night and the sun was coming up in an hour.” -Sharon (Age 11).

Why did the temperature not rise as quickly in the morning as the light did?

• “It is warm in the evening because the suns warmth is spread. It is not as warm in the morning because the suns warmth is not spread.” -Jamie & Niall. (Age Both 9).
• “Heat does not travel as fast as light and that is why the light increases faster.” -Adam. (Age 12).

Why did the temperature not rise quickly in the morning as the light did?

• “The sun has not had a chance to heat up the earth. It takes a while for the earth to heat up and cool down.” -Robert. (Age 12).
• “In the evening the sun would be up high. In the morning it would be low and it would be windy.” -Ciarán. (Age 8).

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