CK-12 Foundation
Contact Lens
How do contact lenses work? The simulation allows young scientists to explore focal length and lens type to see how and why contact lenses work. Pupils control the focal length for an eye and a lens, the type of lens, and the distance...
CK-12 Foundation
Least Time
What is the fastest way to get from point A to point B if you are going through two different mediums, such as air then water? Scholars explore the way light travels through air, water, acrylic, glass, and diamond as they answer this...
CK-12 Foundation
Magnifying Glass
How can a magnifying glass or reading glasses make things appear larger? Scholars simulate moving a lens closer or farther from an object to observe the resulting image. They also alter the lens focal length. The simulation shows the...
CK-12 Foundation
Rose Colored Glasses
How can we change the color of what we are seeing? The simulation allows individuals to change the color of a car's paint, the color of light pointed at the car, and the color of glasses the person is wearing. Each combination creates a...
CK-12 Foundation
Light Wave
Do radio waves create light? It's more difficult to understand the things we can't see than those that we can. The simulation compares the relatively small range of visible light to the entire electromagnetic spectrum. It graphs the size...
CK-12 Foundation
Stadium Wave
If you are at a sports match and the crowd starts two waves that are both headed toward you at the same time, what do you do? The simulation applies the concepts of constructive interference and destructive interference to that very...
CK-12 Foundation
Stow Lake
Does the depth of a pond matter to the waves created when rain is falling? Many people assume the answer is no, but interestingly, it does matter. Pupils explore this concept and other variables related to wave behavior through a...
CK-12 Foundation
Runaway Balloon
When a child lets go of a helium balloon, what happens to it? Does it float all the way to space? The simulator allows pupils to experiment on party balloons and weather balloons under different conditions to see what happens to them in...
CK-12 Foundation
Heat Engine
How can heat power an engine? Scholars observe a heat engine working and control variables to determine the most efficient setup. They change the amount of heat input as well as the stroke length. Energy efficiency numbers prove the...
CK-12 Foundation
Scuba Training
How does a scuba diver control whether they sink or float? Scholars observe the relationship between absolute pressure and depth below the surface in an undersea simulation. They control the diver size and depth to center of mass to see...
CK-12 Foundation
The Marina
Breakwaters offer marinas and beaches protection from large ocean waves, but how do they work? Scholars observe wave patterns and wave amplitude during the simulation. They control the number of openings, width of openings, distance...
CK-12 Foundation
Ski Jump
What are the three types of energy a ski jumper uses? If you said potential, kinetic, and heat, then you are correct. Scholars adjust the jumper's mass, jumper's form, and height of the start line in the simulation to display graphs of...
CK-12 Foundation
High Energy Particles
How much energy is required to break apart an atomic nucleus and does it vary based on the type of atom? Scholars virtually experiment with a linear accelerator in order to answer these questions. They alter the voltage, length of the...
CK-12 Foundation
Hot Oven
Why does the air in a hot oven not burn skin, but metal in the oven does? The simulation focuses on the difference between temperature and thermal energy and the way these are transferred. Scholars adjust the temperature of an oven and...
CK-12 Foundation
Trampoline
Does a trampoline use mostly potential or kinetic energy? Pupils adjust the mass of the jumper, stiffness of the trampoline, and initial jump height in order to answer that question. The simulation displays graphs of the various types of...
CK-12 Foundation
Block and Tackle
Can you easily lift more than your own weight? With a pulley system, almost anyone can manage this challenge. Scholars adjust the mechanical advantage (number of pulleys), weight of object being lifted, and the length of rope pulled. The...
CK-12 Foundation
Roller Coaster
Roller coasters rely on both kinetic and potential energy, but how much total energy does a roller coaster need? Scholars vary the mass of a coaster and the height of the initial hill. Graphs showing the types of energy and total energy...
CK-12 Foundation
Bowling Alley
Sometimes it appears that a bowling ball slides down the alley rather than rolling, while other times it appears to switch rolling directions at some point. Scholars control the bowling ball size, initial rotation, initial speed, and...
CK-12 Foundation
Yo Yo
Does a yo-yo descend at the speed of gravity? The simulation explores angular speed and torque as a yo-yo is moved through a standard rotation. Scholars control the size and style of the yo-yo as well as the throwing speed. Challenge...
CK-12 Foundation
Unicycle
What is the steepness of a hill before a unicyclist slides down it rather than pedaling down it? The simulation graphs the wheel speed versus the unicycle speed as the rider goes down a hill. Scholars control the mass of the rider,...
CK-12 Foundation
Orbital Motion
Why do planets orbit the sun in ellipses when moons orbit their planet in circles? Pupils control the semi-major axis, eccentricity of the orbit, and position angle. The resulting orbital appears with the related force vectors as...
CK-12 Foundation
Ramp and Piano
Can you lift a piano into a truck? Simulation allows scholars to explore the relationship between force, ramp length, and weight. Pupils control the variables of truck bed height, ramp length, weight of piano, and the number of friends...
CK-12 Foundation
Collisions
Is momentum conserved in a collision, along with energy, or are they opposing forces? Pupils vary the mass and velocity of two bumper cars along with the type of bumper in order to answer this question. Worksheet and in-simulator...
CK-12 Foundation
Bumper Cars
Is the transfer of energy different in bumper cars with stable versus bouncy bumpers? One of the variables explored in the simulation is bumper type; other variables are the mass and velocity of each car. This allows pupils to see the...