Video Analysis Investigations for Physics and Mathematics

Center for Mathematics and Science Education

Texas A&M University - College Station

(Note: This web page was constructed using Microsoft FrontPage 2002 and is best viewed using Internet Explorer)

This web page contains short video clips that may be used in teaching and learning physics concepts using any one of several video analysis software programs.  The video clips linked to this page are also useful in algebra, trigonometry, and calculus studies by providing "real world" examples of many common mathematical relationships.  A number of relatively inexpensive video analysis programs may be purchased for this purpose, including VideoPoint (PC and Mac), World-in-Motion (PC only), and Measurement-in-Motion (PC and Mac).  Even Vernier recently added a video analysis feature to Logger Pro 3 to supplement their existing probes and software.  These programs allow the user to "mark" the position of an object in each frame of a video clip and will make relevant calculations to produce informative graphs with just a click of the mouse button.  Position, velocity, acceleration, force, momentum, and energy graphs, among others, can all be quickly produced.  Users may analyze video clips that are supplied by these programs, may import video clips from other sources (such as this web site), or make and analyze their own video clips.  To download an instructional video demonstrating how to use the VideoPoint video analysis program, click here*.

A free software program, DataPoint, is also available, but requires students to paste the "marked data" into a spreadsheet and manipulate the data to produce the relevant information.  This program was developed by Glenn A. Carlson and "is copyrighted software," but he is "currently offering it to Physics students and the Physics education community free of charge."  All he asks is that you notify him that you are using the software and let him know how it serves your needs and how it can be improved.  In order to obtain more meaningful results, students using this program will need to convert their data sets, which contain x and y pixel positions of the location of the object with time, to appropriate position units using proportions and a known measurement standard.  Users may also need to make linear translation manipulations to move the origins to desired locations.  To download an instructional video demonstrating how to collect data using the DataPoint program and import it into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for graphing and analysis purposes, click here*.  To download an instructional video demonstrating how to manipulate data in the spreadsheet for analysis and graphing purposes, click here*.

Physics and physical science teachers of students from all education levels will find that this technology makes possible an in-depth analysis of some physical situations that would not normally be possible because of measurement difficulties, time, expense, and/or safety considerations.  Mathematics teachers should also discover that video analysis is a relatively inexpensive and worthwhile method of studying "real world" examples of phenomena that are described by linear, quadratic, hyperbolic, square root, and sinusoidal relationships and graphs.

The following table lists various physics topics and gives a brief description of the related video clip.  Click on the "Video Download" link to open and/or save the video.  Although the "DataPoint Lab Suggestions" links open either a MS Word or pdf document outlining suggestions for laboratory analysis when you are using this particular program, these video clips may be analyzed using any of the commercially available analysis programs.  These video clips were filmed at 29.97 frames/second with a JVC mini-digital video camera  and edited with Pinnacle Studio DV software.  All video clips (including the three instructional videos linked in the preceding paragraphs that were made using Camtasia Studio screen capture software) are in ".avi" format and may take considerable time to download when using a dial-up modem. 

*Note: In order to view the three instructional videos linked to this site, you must have "permission" to install the TSCC Codec on the computer (built into these three videos), which should install automatically if such permission is granted.  You may also download the free Camtasia Player from http://www.techsmith.com/download/studiodefault.asp in order to view these instructional videos.

Comments or Questions Regarding This Site

For questions or comments regarding the use of these videos, to suggest other video analysis lab activities, or to request a professional development session on the use of video analysis for teaching physics, physical science, and/or mathematics, please contact: