Comprehensive software library of physical science simulations and labs designed to provide a highly-investigative learning environment for students at a variety of levels.
Exploration of Physical Science: Simulation Library Vol. II is a vast collection of 100 computer simulations and labs encompassing a full-range of physics and physical science topics. Designed to be highly interactive and highly visual, the software program utilizes a conceptual approach to teach physical science principles. The simulations and labs are categorized into three learning levels: 1) introductory, 2) intermediate, and 3) advanced; addressing the needs of introductory physical science, high school physics, and college physics courses. The multi-level learning feature gives the software package a great deal of flexibility to meet a wide range of student needs. The Simulation Library Vol. II collection is designed to complement and work along with the Simulation Library Vol. I collection.
Each simulation re-creates a real-world physical event, with the student given full control over the relevant experimental variables. Experimental parameters are easily manipulated using an assortment of slider controls; physical behaviors are animated on-screen using graphics that employ rich color and depth; and physical quantities are displayed using digital readouts, graphs, and histograms. Each simulation has a readily accessible help screen providing information on using the simulation.
The vast collection of simulations and labs may be used in a variety of ways: (1) as an instructor lecture aid for demonstration purposes in front of the classroom, (2) for student use as a computer-based lab activity. Exploration of Physical Science simulations can be used to introduce a physical science concept, or serve nicely to reinforce and extend a lab (involving apparatus) that has already been performed.
The ready-to-run simulations and highly intuitive interface allows first time users to immediately use the simulations and begin exploring with no preliminary time investment — essentially providing a ready to go lab experience.
View Demo Simulations
| Simulations Contained in Vol. II |
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| Forces and Motion A car’s linear velocity and acceleration graphs Racing cars: Distance, velocity, and acceleration Galileo’s experiment: Falling and air resistance Velocity and acceleration of a falling ball Falling balls with air resistance Free fall: Independence of velocity components Throwing a banana to a falling monkey Projectile motion: Horizontal and vertical motion Projectile motion and acceleration Trajectory of a ball with air resistance Newton’s 1st law: Puck on moving ice sheet Newton’s 2nd law: A dogsled race Static and kinetic friction Skidding cars and stopping distances Air resistance with one parachute Air resistance with two racing parachutes Newton’s 3rd law: Two astronauts playing catch Newton’s 3rd law: Rocket propulsion Center of mass of a drawn figure Balancing people on a seesaw Circular motion of a car on a race track Circular motion of a sling: Tension and gravity Angular momentum on a merry-go-round Momentum and Energy Jumping from a cart: Conservation of momentum Inelastic car crash in two-dimensions Energy conservation of a falling ball Energy conservation on a loop-the-loop Energy conservation of a pendulum Energy conservation of a mass on a spring Bouncing balls and the coefficient of restitution Elastic & inelastic colliding balls in one-dimension Colliding balls in two-dimensions Energy conservation of a bungee jumper Effect of friction on a car rolling on inclined surfaces Effects of friction/air resistance on skiing snowman Thermodynamics The three phases of water and latent heat The ideal gas law Temperature, speed, and kinetic energy The distribution of molecular speeds in a gas Mixing in a box of gas particles Entropy and the 2nd law of thermodynamics Vibrations, Waves, and Sound Simple harmonic motion and the sine function Simple harmonic and circular motion Resonance of a damped, driven mass on a spring Normal modes: Two masses connected by springs Wave addition: Frequency, phase, and amplitude The superposition of waves on a rope Standing waves & harmonics: Strings/Organ Pipes The superposition of sound waves The Doppler effect and sonic booms Ripple tank interference Light and Optics Fizeau’s experiment and the speed of light The polarization of light and polarizing filters The refraction of waves at a boundary The refraction of light by prisms and raindrops Additive and subtractive mixing of colors Light rays and the formation of a real image Ray tracing: Lenses and mirrors (5 simulations) Single-slit diffraction of light Interference of light waves from two slits Double-slit interference and diffraction patterns Electricity and Magnetism Static electric charges on a hanging pith ball Charging and discharging an electroscope Electric field lines and vectors Trajectory of a test charge in an electric field A light bulb and battery Electric circuits and Ohm’s law Measurements of series and parallel circuits The magnetic field of bar magnets The magnetic field of a wire and solenoid A proton in the Earth’s magnetic field Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire Electric dipole radiation Fluids Measuring pressure in liquids Mass, volume, density, and buoyancy Relativity The Michelson-Morley experiment Relativity and simultaneity for a moving train Length contraction Time dilation Racing trains: Newton’s vs. Einstein’s mechanics Modern Physics Radioactive decay The photoelectric effect: Measuring 5 metals Double-slit electron interference Three models of the atom The atomic nucleus and Rutherford’s experiment Measurements of the quantum atom The structure of matter: A salt crystal The chemical bond Astronomy Retrograde motion in geocentric/heliocentric systems Planetary motion: Kepler’s laws The motion of a satellite orbiting Earth Chaos and Fractals Motion of a chaotic pendulum Sierpinski triangle Pythagorean Tree |