Accelerometer by 'Vernier' |
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An accelerometer measures acceleration. The type shown is used in cars to release air bags.  It contains very thin 'fingers' made of silicon which act as a parallel plate capacitor. The fingers flex when accelerated, altering the capacitance. An integrated circuit converts the change to a voltage, that is then amplified and exported to Logger Pro. |
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The NZ government maintains a network of accelerometers to measure violent ground movement in earthquakes. Over 70 years, ~160 detectors have yielded one significant (very expensive) three minute trace from the top of a hydro dam where the vertical acceleration in a quake of magnitude 6.2 was just less than g. The dam suffered no damage (that time). An accelerometer in a car is called g-meter. |