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Timer and Photogates

Name: Timer and Photogates
Brand: Arbor Scientific
SKU: P4-1450
Price: 385.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Item #P4-1450

$385.00 Bundle Discount

High-resolution timing for force and motion experiments

Bring precision to every motion experiment with the Arbor Scientific Timer and Photogates system. Designed for accuracy, durability, and classroom simplicity, this setup makes it easy to capture timing data for nearly any mechanics or dynamics lab.

Whether you’re measuring acceleration, velocity, or collision events, this photogate system gives you the reliable, high-resolution timing data you need — no complex setup or computer interface required.

Why Teachers Love the Timer and Photogates

Accurate & Repeatable: Dual photogates deliver precise time measurements for motion studies with up to 0.1 millisecond resolution.
Adaptable: Five timing modes (stopwatch, interval, frequency, period, count) gives teachers and students the flexibility to measure different types of motion without changing equipment or setup.
Plug-and-Play Simplicity: Quick setup with clear digital display — no additional software or interface needed.

Resources

Timer and Photogates Instructional Guide

What You Can Teach with the Timer and Photogates

The Timer and Photogates system opens the door to a wide range of experiments across mechanics and kinematics:

Constant Velocity & Acceleration: Measure time intervals as objects pass through one or more photogates.
Free Fall & Gravity: Capture precise timing for falling objects to calculate acceleration due to gravity.
Dynamics of Motion: Analyze acceleration of carts on ramps and compare predicted and measured values.
Collision Studies: Record impact timing and explore conservation of momentum in elastic and inelastic collisions.
Periodic Motion: Time oscillations in pendulums or springs to study simple harmonic motion.

Higher Ed: How Students Can Use the Timer and Photogates

In college physics labs, the Timer and Photogates system serves as a reliable, high-resolution timing platform for quantitative mechanics experiments.

Most commonly used in higher-ed labs

Constant acceleration on an incline: Time a cart through one or two gates to calculate (v) and (a); compare to kinematic models.
Free-fall / measuring (g): Use a picket fence or falling object through a gate to determine gravitational acceleration.
Atwood’s machine: Photogates time motion of unequal masses to test Newton’s 2nd law and predict acceleration.
Cart collisions & momentum: Measure pre-/post-collision speeds to examine momentum conservation and energy loss.
Simple harmonic motion (pendulum/spring): Period mode times oscillations to verify SHM relationships.