Smartphone GPS experiments
2 classroom-tested activities with the free FizziQ app, for high school, middle school.
The GPS receiver gives position, speed and altitude. FizziQ records them as time series that can be plotted and exported. Instruments in FizziQ: GPS speed, position, altitude.
Each activity below has a protocol, expected results, scientific background, a printable PDF handout and a QR code that opens it directly in the app. FizziQ is free on iOS and Android, needs no account, and shows no advertising.
Activities
- Rate of climb in flight High school 20 min
During a flight, students log GPS altitude with the FizziQ smartphone app, calculate the airliner's rate of climb and compare it with the world's fastest elevator.
- Uniform rectilinear motion Middle school 25 min
Can you walk at constant velocity? Accelerometer and GPS recordings in the FizziQ smartphone app reveal deviations from uniform rectilinear motion. Middle school.
Other sensors
accelerometer · microphone · magnetometer · barometer · gyroscope · light sensor · camera · external sensors