Computational Representation of Distributions of Laboratory Measurements

Abstract

Several experiences of general physics for didactic laboratory explore distributions of measurementsaiming at the calculation of average values, values of dispersion and distribution functions. However,such experiences, quite frequently, are not assisted by tools that help to a better understanding of theparameters that characterize a distribution of laboratory measurements. Aiming at taking care of suchnecessity and observing that the graphical computation has a basic role in scientific education, wedevelop a computational program with graphical interface making available an instrument of support tothe laboratory classes. We detail the structure of the program and present the codes with the use ofalgorithms. The program starts with the entrance of several measurements of an experience and builds upa histogram of frequencies by means of a process of visual dynamics, calculating the average value andthe sample standard deviation, and adjusts the curve of the corresponding Gaussian distribution function,equating the occupied area for the histogram to the area under the curve.