Mechanics
- Vectors:
- Physlet - Vectors. Show the resultant of 2, 3, 4, or 5 vectors.
- Physlet - Vector components. Adjust the x and y-axis, and the vector. Then click to show the calculation of the components.
- Physlet - Vectors and inclined plane. Adjust the forces, masses, angles, and friction to see the resulting vector.
- Motion in 1 dimension:
- Physlet - Constant Linear Velocity. You can simply show the motion, or pause the simulation, measure and calculate.
- Physlet - Constant Linear Acceleration. Similar to the Constant Linear Velocity.
- Physlet - Vector quantities. Show the graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration for different scenarios.
- Physlet - Interaction of v and a. Show object A moving with a constant velocity passing stationary object B which accelerates and overtakes A (police and speeder).
- Physlet - Throw hammer. Throw an object in the air and graph its displacement over time.
- Motion in 2 dimensions:
- Physlet - Projectile motion. Show a projectile launched at 90, 45 and 0 degrees.
- Physlet - Projectile motion. Three objects have the same flight time, but travel different downrange displacements.
- Video Youtube - X and Y velocity and acceleration. Mythbusters show dropped and fired bullets hit the ground at the same time.
- Physlet - ninja. The low gravity and high friction allows this guy to run, climb, and soar.
- Physlet - Angry Birds. Determine the angle and the velocity needed for the projectile to hit the target.
- Newton's Laws:
- Physlet - Newton's Laws. Show different possibilities of a sustained force on a moving object and determine which one is correct.
- Physlet - Newton's Laws. Show different outcomes for a momentary push on a moving object and determine the correct outcome.
- Physlet - Newton's Laws. Adjust the masses and friction on an Atwood to see the results.
- Work, Energy, and Momentum:
- Physlet - Energy track. Dynamically change the track and let this skateboarder ride, jump, and oscillate.
- Physlet - Work path independence. Lift a bowling ball onto a shelf following different paths takes the same energy.
- Physlet - Energy of swinging pendulum. Use conservation of energy to find the maximum speed of a pendulum.
- Physlet - Potential energy. A dropped ball will lose energy with each bounce.
- Physlet - Momentum. Simulate a cannonball shot into a cart, an elastic collision, or an inelastic collision.
- Video Youtube - Momentum collisions. From the Space Station in orbit! At time 1:35, elastic collision of moving hitting non-moving. At 2:15, inelastic of moving and non-moving. At 2:55, elastic of moving. At 3:40, inelastic of moving.
- Rotational Dynamics:
- Video Youtube - Bicycle wheel gyroscope. The wheel stays on its side until it slows down.
- Physlet - Rotation. Place a bug on the turntable and give it a spin. The velocity and acceleration vectors are shown. It can also graph torque, moment of inertia, and angular momentum over time.
- Fluids:
- Physlet - Pascal principle. Show a small mass lifting a larger one with a hydraulic lift using less force but greater distance.
- Video Youtube - Pascal Vases. A short animation showing water rising in a set of Pascal vases as a piston moves.
- Physlet - Air resistance. Adjust the drag coefficient to see how a falling object reacts.
- Video Youtube - Bernoulli's principle. Several examples of moving air reducing pressure.
- Video Youtube - Bernoulli A ping pong ball pendulum is held in place by water from a faucet.
- Video Youtube - Flow visualization. Shows objects interacting with bubble trails in flowing water.
- Video Youtube - Atmospheric pressure. Crushing a 55 gallon drum where it happens quickly.
- Video Youtube - Atmospheric pressure. Crushing another 55 gallon drum that continues to cool for a few more dents.
- Video Youtube - Cartesian diver. Shows a regular dropper and toy inside soda bottles.
Waves and Sound
- Waves and Sound:
- Physlet - Waves on a string. Adjust amplitude, frequency, and damping.
- Physlet - Masses on springs. Simulate different forces hanging on spring.
- Physlet - Oscillations. Mass on a spring graphs velocity versus time.
- Physlet - Wave interference. Show wave generation and interference.
- Physlet - Sound interference patterns. Adjust the frequency, amplitude, and listener location to find the quiet spots in front of the speakers.
- Video Youtube - Standing waves in Rubens tube. This 4-minute video steps through many different frequencies to get many standing wave patterns.
- Physlet - Radio waves. Oscillate the electrons in a broadcast antenna and see them interact with the receiving antenna.
- Video Youtube - Tuning forks. This is a great video showing resonance as well as a dramatic example of beats.
- Video Youtube - Slow motion tuning forks. Skip to 0:45 to see the slow motion tuning fork in water.
Thermodynamics
- Thermodynamics:
- Physlet - Ideal gas. Add heat to the gas molecules and raise the piston.
- Physlet - Add energy to ideal gas. Add Q while keeping P, V, or T constant to see how the PV diagram changes.
- Physlet - States of matter. Change the pressure, temperature, and volume of different substances to see how their states change.
- Physlet - Calorimeter. Heat and cool water and objects.
Electricity and Magnetism
- Electricity and Magnetism:
- Physlet - Static electricity. Rub a balloon on a sweater, and it sticks to the charged sweater as well as a neutral wall.
- Physlet - Positive test charge. Show the difference between a point charge and an imaginary test charge. Also a good example of a charge in a field.
- Physlet - Charges and E field. Place charges from the bin into space to show the electric field and equipotential lines.
- Physlet - Magnet and compass. Adjust the strength and position of the magnet and the compass.
- Physlet - Electromagnet and compass. Show an AC and a DC electromagnet and the compass.
- Physlet - Simple MRI. Model of the hydrogen nuclear spin transmitters in a variable magnetic field.
- Physlet - Generator and Transformer. This simulates a generator as well as a transformer, electromagnet, and a pickup coil.
- Physlet - Faraday's Law. Move the magnet in the small coil or the large coil to generate a voltage.
- Physlet - Resistors. Adjust the resistor value and the battery voltage to measure the current and the temperature!
- Physlet - Resistance. See how changing the physical variables that determine resistance will affect the final value.
- Physlet - Coulomb's Law. Show the individual and net forces for charge configurations.
Optics
- Light and Optics:
- Physlet - Hydrogen. See the Hydrogen spectrum: Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, and Balmer absorption.
- Physlet - Refraction model. Shows the particles slowing at the interface.
- Physlet - Refraction. Adjust the angle and the index of refraction to see the resulting angles.
- Physlet - Refraction. This is a different refraction model with many different options.
- Physlet - Prisms. This allows you to shine a laser through different prism shapes. Many different settings.
- Video Youtube - Prisms. A nice example of white light broken into colors.
- Physlet - Light wave interference. Animation shows two light sources projecting onto a screen.
- Physlet - Optical tweezers. Shows object inside of beam.
- Physlet - Medical Optical tweezers. Use the beam to stretch a strand of DNA.
- Physlet - Geometric Optics. Dynamic way to show objects and ray tracing.
- Physlet - Optical Bench. Place lenses, mirrors, beams, etc. on a virtual optical bench.