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Re: [Phys-l] Interactive Physics -- liberation?

OK, I added the videos. (Not getting any papers graded lately...)

http://www.holmdel.k12.nj.us/faculty/pkeller/interactivephysics.htm

If you have never used interactive physics, really it's worth a look. The links to the videos are in the paragraph above the chart. They are shock wave files, so your browser needs the shockwave plug in. And even though I can see them on my computer, as I have learned, that may not mean they are going to load on yours! Let me know...

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Paul Lulai
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 1:21 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Interactive Physics -- liberation?

There is a fun, and not quite as productive, site called SodaPlay
< http://sodaplay.com/>
It allows you to create spring-like structures. You can (or could, I haven't
played with it this year) adjust k, g, and some other parameters. Some folks
have made some rather intricate structures. Then, you can grab a junction
between springs and give it a push.
Fun.


Paul Lulai
Physics Teacher
St Anthony Village S.H.
3303 33rd Ave NE
St Anthony Village, MN 55418

612-706-1146
plulai@stanthony.k12.mn.us
http://www.stanthony.k12.mn.us/hsscience/

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of John Mallinckrodt
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 10:33 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Interactive Physics -- liberation?

As Philip says, as nice as much of it is, the Open Source stuff doesn't offer
anything like the ease that IP did ("does" if you are a Windows person) for
very quick creation of mechanical simulations. There is a group called
"Siminsights" (to whom I've offered some advice, but with whom I have no
financial connection) who are trying to create a tool that is very much like
Interactive Physics. IMO it is not yet quite as easy, flexible, and intuitive
as IP, but it is getting better and offers an additional potential advantage
of being highly integrated into the web for easy sharing and collaboration.

See http://www.siminsights.com/SimInsightsWeb/

John Mallinckrodt
Cal Poly Pomona

On Dec 8, 2011, at 5:22 AM, Philip Keller wrote:

I've never had or used Interactive Physics, but this sounds fairly
similar to OpenSource Physics.
http://www.opensourcephysics.org/

Does this do what the group is looking for?

Paul Lulai

I looked at opensource. It seems that there are a lot of nice simulations
available. But I don't think it matches the best thing about Interactive
Physics: how easily you can create simulations on your own with no
programming skills required. It is so easy that you can actually create
experiments on the fly in response to student questions. For example, I
recently was going over the problem where an Atwood machine is released from
rest and it runs until the heavier mass hits the ground. You are asked to
find the peak height reached by the lighter mass. Yes, it's just a freefall
problem tacked on to the end of a typical Atwood problem, but a few of my
students were just not seeing it. It took me not even a minute to create a
functional simulation that we could then run in slow motion to discuss what
was happening.

Also, it takes about 15 minutes of instruction to get students to the point
where they can create their own simulations, which I can tell you they LOVE
doing.

Later today, I think my IT guys are going to install something on my
computer that will let me post a tutorial ("Jing"?). I'll show how to create
the Atwood machine. Also, I made a ballistic pendulum yesterday (took about 8
minutes). I'll post that one too.

And since I am gushing about this software, let me say that I have no
financial relationship with the company. (Although back when it was
owned by Knowledge Revolution, I let them use some of my simulations
on their product CD and they sent me a T-shirt.)
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l