Sensible Science Simulations

Capacitor- charging and discharging a capacitor through a resistor:Show, in 3D, how a capacitor works... This simulation shows a capacitor in three states: Charging "Off"DischargingA switch is used to select a state. The simulation shows electrons moving appropriately, the charge on each plate, cell orientation, the correct orientation of polar molecules in a dielectric and correct values. The graphs, when expanded, show the recurring time constant.  Choose to show:Graphs (I/t, Q/t, V/t with tim

Motion Graph MatchImprove understanding of kinematics...Challenge your students to match three graphs (x/t, v/t, a/t) and one moving ball, each of which describes the same motion.The app keeps the score. Iterations are never the same, and some are more difficult than others. Choose to show: Graphs where the velocities are all constant (v = ∆x/∆t)Graphs where the accelerations are all constant (a = ∆v/∆t)Graphs where the jerks are all constant (jerk = ∆a/∆t)This application, once downloaded, is s

Buoyancy: Change every variable (except viscosity) Show how the buoyant force is related to the densities of the object and the fluid, volume of the object, volume of the displaced fluid, acceleration due to gravity. Vectors show the buoyant force, the force of gravity, the normal force, and, if you wish, a push or a pull. Place the object in any position, or push or pull the object vertically, and view from any angle by rotating, panning or zooming the animation). Choose to display the calcula

Inverse Square Law Simulation:Challenge your students to find a relationship between intensity of light and the distance from a point light source using this highly configurable 3D simulation. Adjust:The distance from the light source for one or two areasThe power output of the light sourceThe spread of the lightChoose to showOne or two areasArea calculationsIntensity calculationsSpheres (for discussion)The simulation, once downloaded, is self-contained... it doesn't need an internet connection.

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The principal purpose of this simulation is to show that:... as the linear acceleration of the ladder and man is zero, then the net force on it is zero.... as the angular acceleration of the ladder and man is zero, then the not torque is zero, no matter where one places the common point about which torques are calculated. One can change:ladder lengthladder angleladder massPosition of man standing on ladderMass of man standing on ladderCoefficient of friction between ladder and floorPosition of c

3D Magnetic Force on Wire in B-Field Simulation...3DMagneticForceSim.html Select:I: Electric current in conductorL: Length of conductorB: Magnetic field strengthθ: Angle of current against magnetic fieldAdjust an angle that doesn't change the magnitude of the magnetic force (!)Show:Choose to show the magnetic force, its direction and magnitude.Choose to show the calculation of B, the magnetic field strength.Adjust viewing angle using mouse/trackpad/finger Zoom using mouse wheel/trackpad/fingers

Horizontal Circular Motion Simulation. A real HTML5 simulation, like PhET, but a bit different.HorizontalCircleSim.html A simulation of an object moving in a circle as a conical pendulum with or without a gravitational field. For the system one can adjust...circle radiusobject massacceleration due to gravity string lengthstring angleobject speedwhen each value is changed, the others are automatically adjusted so that the object continues to successfully move in a circle The system can be sh

Position, velocity, acceleration graph:One single graph is used as a position/time graph and as a velocity/time graph.Students are asked questions that ask them to... Relate slope of a position/time graph to speed, and to velocityRelate slope of a velocity/time graph to accelerationRelate the area 'under' a velocity/time graph to distance and change in positionComes with answers.

3D Ray Diagram Sim...The standard ray diagram in 3D... Select:Focal length (converging or diverging lens)Object distanceObject heightLens radiusDistance of optional screen from lensChoose to see or not see virtually all aspects of the ray diagram except the lens itself.Adjust viewing angle using mouse/trackpad/fingerZoom using mouse wheel/trackpad/fingers This simulation opens in all recent popular computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) and Chromebooks. ProjectileSim does work

Escape Velocity Simulation...If you throw something upwards fast enough, will it come back down again? A rock is fired from the surface of a planet... will it reach infinity? This simulation shows the displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time for the rock, and also the kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and total mechanical energy of the planet + rock system. The user can adjust the initial velocity of the rock, the mass and radius of the planet, and the mass of the rock. The u

Equilibrium Simulation...Given a set of force vectors, can you determine the equilibrant force?An object drifting though space experiences one to five forces (user determined). Determine the force that cancels them all out, the equilibrant, the negative of the resultant force.  The simulation shows the force vectors as rectangular coordinates or as forces in newtons.  This HTML5 simulation opens in all recent popular computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) and Chromebooks. Pro

Mass Spectrometer Simulation: The user can control almost every aspect of the device:All potential differences.The magnitude and direction of the electric fields.The magnitude and direction of the magnetic fields.The charge and mass of the accelerated object.The separation and size of the capacitor plates.The velocity at which the object leaves the ‘electron gun’. The user can view the:Electric force on the object.Magnetic force on the object.Net force on the object.The speed at which the obj

Inclined Plane with friction:An HTLM5 simulation: like PhET, but a bit different.A simulation of a single object moving down a ramp with or without friction. For the system one can adjust:Ramp angleMass of objectCoefficient of kinetic frictionCoefficient of static frictionInitial velocityAcceleration due to gravity One can display:Normal forceWeightComponents of weightAngleForce of kinetic frictionForce of static friction Maximum force of static frictionEnergy bar graphsGraphs of position, sp

Atwood's Mania:An HTLM5 simulation: like PhET, but a bit different.A simulation of one or two objects on one or two ramps, connected by a massless string that passes over a pulley that can have rotational inertia. For the system one can adjust:Initial velocity of objectsAcceleration due to gravityCoefficient of kinetic frictionCoefficient of static frictionAngle of each rampMass of each objectRotational inertia of pulley One can chose to display:Names of forces (weight, tension, normal force,

2DCollisionSim: A real HTLM simulation, like PhET, but a bit different.2DCollisionSimTPT.html Conservation of linear momentum, angular momentum, and energy. A two-dimensional simulation of two objects colliding into each other (or not): For each object one can adjust:MassAngleInitial x-positionInitial y-positionx-velocityy-velocityCoefficient of restitution (adjust ‘elasticity’)Radius One can chose to display:Linear momentum, Angular momentum, and Kinetic energy of each object before and af

1D and 2D Kinematics: A real HTLM simulation, like PhET, but a bit different.Position, velocity, acceleration in two dimensions...2DMotionSim.html A one and two-dimensional simulation of one or two objects in motion, with adjustable position, velocity and acceleration. -with 64 challenges ranging from simple kinematics, to projectiles, to monkey-and-banana problems. For each object one can adjust:Initial x-positionInitial y-positionInitial x-velocityInitial y-velocityConstant x-acceleratio

Refraction of light in 3DSelect:refractive indicesangle of incidencequestion modecalculationspoint of view of observerauto-rotation of incident rayShow:incident ray and its anglerefracted ray and its anglereflected ray and its angletotal internal reflectionAdjust viewing angle using mouse/trackpad/fingerZoom using mouse wheel/trackpad/fingersThis simulation opens in all recent popular computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) and Chromebooks. ProjectileSim does work on iPads, And

A free HTML5 3-D simulation that draws a transverse sine wave of variable frequency, wavelength, amplitude and speed using a 'machine'.  This simulation opens in all recent popular computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) and Chromebooks .   Wave Maker works on iPads and tablets... iPhones and android phones are a bit small..

Collision2 One Dimensional Collision Simulation...  Change the mass, rotational inertia, linear and angular velocities, dimensions and coefficient of linear restitution of two different objects, then collide them. See the collision from different angles and also the calculations needed to find final angular and linear velocities. This simulation opens in all recent popular computer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) and Chromebooks. Works on iPads etc., but it's a bit tiny on