LabQuest

This page is to give directions on the basics of how to use the LabQuest **[|Try out the LabQuest online!]**
 * Steps to Use the LabQuest**

​ **Step 1: Turn on the LabQuest.** To turn on the LabQuest, you press the small silver button at the top left of the LabQuest. It is a little tricky, so you might have to press hard.


 * Step 2: Plug in a probe!** While the LabQuest does have some cool features on its own, the best part about it is that it can read the various kinds of Vernier probes and sensors, more than 50! To plug in a probe stick the end of the cord into the top of the LabQuest. The LabQuest should start picking information instantly. The front screen will have a red box appear with data in it.


 * Step 3: Start collecting Data.** To start collecting data, so you can save it or see it on one of the other screens, you need to press play. You can do this by either pressing the play button or by using your stylus pen (which you can find at the top of your LabQuest, as seen in the previous picture) and pressing play on the touchscreen. Another note about the stylus pen, it is kind of hard to get out, so you have to dig for it.


 * Step 4: Press the tabs on the touchscreen to switch windows.** The tabs at the top of the screen lead you to different viewing windows. You just use your stylus pen to get there. There are 5 different tabs at the top of the screen, the main screen, the graph screen, table chart, instructions and activities, and the notepad.

Picture of the Main Screen. At this screen you can watch the data being picked up change instantaneously. The Graph screen. This screen also tells you about the instantaneoulsy change of data. It is in graphical form though, so you can see the change compared to other time points.

The Table Chart screen. The table shows the numbers changing as well. However, compared to the graph you can see the concrete numbers.

The Activities screen. You can download activities from the internet for your students to do. This is nice because you will not have to print out written directions. The Notes screen. Here you can type in notes about the experiment you are doing. Like if what your testing changes colors or starts to level off in its frequency of change.


 * Step 5: Other neat functions.** The LabQuest comes with different gadgets as well. There is a calculator, a voice recorder (to verbally take notes), audio function generator, stopwatch, and my personal favorite, a periodic chart. The reason it is so neat is because when you click on an element it will come up with a new page filled with all sorts of facts about that element, like its atomic number and atomic mass. You can get to these applications by pressing the home button at the bottom of the screen. The access to the calculator is right to right of the home button. You can also press the home button on the LabQuest.

The home button is the little house at the bottom of the screen. The calculator is to the right of the home button.

The Periodic Tabe of Elements


 * Step 6: Saving Data.** When you are done with your experiment you can save the data. To do this you go to the top of screen of data you would like to save and click File. Then scroll down to save. This is how you retrieve old data as well, only you click open.

Have fun with the LabQuest and make it a useful tool in your classroom. Again if you would like to try it out download the LabQuest emulator for FREE! []