An intermediate-level physics laboratory: A system of two coupled oscillators with low-cost accelerometers

TL;DR

This paper presents an accessible physics lab using low-cost accelerometers and software to help students understand coupled oscillators and Fourier analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a practical, affordable experiment for intermediate students to explore coupled oscillators with modern digital tools.

Findings

Students gain hands-on experience with coupled oscillators.

The experiment enhances understanding of Fourier transforms.

Affordable setup suitable for educational settings.

Abstract

We describe an intermediate-level physics experiment beyond the first-year, which uses versatile, low-cost accelerometers (Wiimotes for the Nintendo Wii gaming system) and scientific-computing software for numerical data analysis. It is designed to help students to develop better understanding of a system of coupled oscillators and Fourier transform.