Use of the Arduino platform in the construction of an accessible air track for physics experimentation

Abstract

This work presents a didactic air track model developed with easily accessible materials, aimed at facilitating the understanding of theoretical physics concepts and making education more accessible, engaging, and effective. The article describes the construction of the mechanical and electronic systems of the model, which uses the Arduino platform for data acquisition and plays a notable role in physics education, as it enables the learning of theoretical concepts through hands-on experimentation. The air track was developed for the practical investigation of mechanical phenomena such as uniform motion (UM) and uniformly accelerated motion (UAM). The tests demonstrated its effectiveness in simulating both types of motion, yielding satisfactory quantitative results and performance comparable to that of commercial equipment. In UM, the linear relationship between distance and time was confirmed, indicating constant velocity; in UAM, the parabolic relationship between distance and time validated the constant acceleration of the cart. These findings demonstrate the educational potential of the project for practical instruction in resource-limited contexts, showing that it is feasible to provide an enriching and accessible learning experience, thereby making physics teaching more dynamic and appealing to students.