Using computers to record data has a number of advantages over recording data manually :

• Measurements are always taken at the right time. Unlike a human the computer will not forget to take a reading or take a reading too late or too early.
• Mistakes are not made in reading the results. Humans can make errors. For example it is quite easy to misread the temperature using the scale on a thermometer.
• Data logging devices can be sent to places that humans can not easily get to. e.g. to the planet Mars, into the bottom of a volcano, or onto a roof of a tall building to get to a weather station.
• Graphs and tables of results can be produced automatically by the data logging software.

The main disadvantage of using a data logging system is the initial cost of purchasing the equipment. Whilst a thermometer can be purchased for less than one pound, the price of the components of a data logging system to record the temperature will be considerable.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004