Re: [Phys-l] Motion in 1D, vectors and vector components

["Katherine K. Perkins" <Katherine.Perkins@Colorado.EDU>]

Hi All,

PhET has some good free interactive simulations to help students 
learning of these ideas ... either instructors can use them in class 
to demonstrate points, or students can use them as in-class, or 
homework, or pre-class assignment.

The most relevant sims are:
Vector addition:
http://phet.colorado.edu/new/simulations/sims.php?sim=Vector_Addition
Moving Man (note you can turn on vectors and hide graphs if all you 
want to do is focus on vectors ... note also that you can use file 
menu in "Special Features" to reverse axis to show how how you define 
your axis determines what you consider negative and positive velocity 
and acceleration:
http://phet.colorado.edu/new/simulations/sims.php?sim=The_Moving_Man

Kathy

At 02:56 PM 8/13/2007, Rauber, Joel wrote:
> John D. wrote in part:|
> | On 08/13/2007 11:44 AM, Rauber, Joel wrote:
> |
> | > .... Actually
> | > introduce vectors purely as geometric objects at first;
> | i.e. arrows,
> | > this is done briefly, but show adding and subtracting
> | head-to-tail, etc.
> |
> | That's smart.  That's important.
> |
> | > Then define velocity pictorially and acceleration.
> |
> | Yes.
> |
> |
> | Of course the introduction should be "done briefly" ... but
> | then you can spiral back to the arrows again and again,
> | pounding on the point that a vector is a physical,
> | geometrical object, not just a list of three numbers.
> |
>
>
> The spiral back part is important and useful IMHO, particularly to help
> fight the tendency John mentioned for students to quickly forget the
> geometric part of the discussion; of which there is a high danger if you
> only do component calculations after having mentioned the "arrows".
> I.e. one needs to specifically spiral back to the geometric drawings
> every so often (or always) when you introduce new topics using the
> vector methods.
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

Katherine K. Perkins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Attendant Rank
Physics Department
University of Colorado
390 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0390
PH: 303-492-6714  FAX: 303-492-2998