Vernier Go!Motion User Manual

Go!Motion
(Order Code GO-MOT)
Go! Motion is used to collect position, velocity, and
acceleration data of moving objects. Go! Motion's USB
port allows for direct connection to a computer's USB
port. Students can study a variety of motions with
Go! Motion, including
Walking toward and away from Go! Motion

Dynamics carts moving on track

Objects in simple harmonic motion, such as a mass hanging on a spring

Pendulum motions

Objects tossed upward or dropped

A bouncing object

Note: Vernier products are designed for educational use. Our products are not
designed nor are they recommended for any industrial, medical, or commercial
process such as life support, patient diagnosis, control of a manufacturing
process, or industrial testing of any kind.

What's Included

Go! Motion detector

USB cable


Compatible Software and Interfaces

See
www.vernier.com/manuals/go-mot
with the Go! Motion.

Getting Started

1. Connect the sensor directly to the USB port of the computer.
2. Start the appropriate data-collection software (Logger Pro, Logger Lite,
LabQuest App) if not already running, and choose New from File menu.
The software will identify the sensor and load a default data-collection setup. You
are now ready to continue your experiment.
If you are collecting data using a Chromebook™, mobile device such as iPad
Android™ tablet, or a Vernier wireless sensor or interface, please see the following
link for up-to-date connection information:
www.vernier.com/start/go-mot

Using the Product

Connect the sensor following the steps in the Getting Started section of this user
manual.
Here are some suggestions for getting good results with the Go! Motion:
The Go! Motion is capable of measuring objects as close as 0.15 m and as far

away as 6 m. The short minimum target distance allows objects to get close to
for a list of interfaces and software compatible
the detector, which reduces stray reflections.
The Go! Motion has a pivoting head, which helps you aim the sensor

accurately. For example, if you wanted to measure the motion of a small toy
car on an inclined plane, you can lay the Motion Detector on its back and
pivot the Motion Detector head so that it is perpendicular to the plane.
The Go! Motion has a Sensitivity Switch, which is located under the pivoting

Go! Motion head. To access it, simply rotate the detector head away from the
detector body.
Slide the Sensitivity Switch to the right to set the switch to the Ball/Walk

setting. This setting is best used for experiments such as studying the
motion of a person walking back and forth in front of the Go! Motion, a
ball being tossed in the air, pendulum motion, and any other motion
involving relatively large distances or with objects that are poor reflectors
(e.g., coffee filters).
The other sensitivity setting, which we call Track, works well when

studying motion of carts on tracks like the Vernier Dynamics System, or
motions in which you want to eliminate stray reflections from objects near
to the sensor beam.
Videos
View videos related to this product at

Calibration

You cannot perform a traditional two-point calibration of the Go! Motion. In most
cases, calibration is unnecessary. You can make several adjustments to the
readings by zeroing and changing the direction of the coordinate system. You can
find details on how to adjust Go! Motion readings at
® or

Specifications

Range
Resolution

How the Sensor Works

The Go! Motion emits short bursts of ultrasonic sound waves from the gold foil of
the transducer. These waves fill a cone-shaped area about 15 to 20° off the axis of
the center line of the beam. Go! Motion then "listens" for the echo of these
ultrasonic waves returning to it. The equipment measures how long it takes for the
www.vernier.com/go-mot
www.vernier.com/til/2972
0.15 to 6 m
1 mm
2