A light meter with integrated sensor module and automatic data acquisition with didactic applications

Abstract This work presents the design of a light meter for experimental didactic activities using the integrated light sensor BH1750. The light meter is built by connecting the BH1750 sensor with the Arduino platform. The data are transferred to a computer and they are viewed during the execution of an experiment by means of tables and graphs in real time. The physical and operational characteristics of the BH1750 sensor are presented, as well as the electronic design and computational programming. Results of performance of the light meter proposed in this work compared to a reference one indicates there is no statistically significant difference between them concerning the illuminance measurements. For illustrating didactic some uses of the light meter developed in this work, an investigation of the dependence of light attenuation with distance is presented, as well as a LED photometer for studies in molecular absorption spectroscopy and an investigation of the fluorescent lamp illuminance variation. It is also emphasized the potential use of a light meter like that presented here in science teaching practices seeking innovation and the engagement of students in interdisciplinary projects.