Learners explore two-dimensional motion through visual modeling with an interactive lesson that allows them to control the path of a robot. Graphs show both the horizontal and vertical motion as the robot continues through its...

Archery is believed to be one of the oldest sports in the world at more than 25,000 years old—meaning it can teach your classes a lot! Scholars learn about the forces interacting in the archery simulation. They control the archer's...

Physical and biological factors affect everyday living. Scholars explore electromagnetic forces, motion, the rock cycle, and geological changes. They examine cells as the building blocks of life and how organisms reproduce using images...

Swimmers improve their times by understanding the physics of their sport. As a swimmer moves through the water, the efficiency of motion affects the resulting velocity. Through an interactive simulation, pupils change the level of 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...

Acceleration, velocity, mass, and gravity all play a role in the motion of a rocket. Young scientists explore the connection among these components using an interactive tutorial. They adjust the mass and thrust force to experiment with...

Does Newton's First Law of Motion explain how to move a sled across ice? A simulation encourages scholars to decide if they should push, pull, or apply no force. Their decision moves a sled across the ice and to the home at the...

The study of waves is not a quacking matter! Watch as a duck manipulates the behavior of its waves through its motion. Graphs show the frequency and wavelength of the waves. 

Bobsled riders' safety depends on skill ... and physics! Learners use a simulation to understand the physics behind the sport. They manipulate the speed, mass, and/or turn radius of the sled and watch the effects on the centripetal...

Learners compare acceleration to displacement through an interactive tutorial that permits them to adjust the running strategy of two robots and watch them race. A graph displays the robot's velocity over time and another shows their...

How can a pan flute sound one note while we hear a chord? The simulation explores sound waves, vibrations, and harmonics at the molecular level. Scholars control the pipe into which air is being blown, the length of the pipe, and which...

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,...

Who's driving that car? Science is! Through a simulation, learners adjust the magnitude and angle of motion on a driverless car. Two different motions create a resultant motion. Vectors represent the motion and graphs depict the...

Cliff diving is more than an adrenaline rush ... it's a lesson in physics! Scholars adjust the height of a cliff and plot the resulting velocity and position over time on graphs. They also can incorporate air resistance to monitor the...

Most water fountains are designed to keep the water inside the fountain, but how are they designed to shoot up and out without the water leaving the fountain? Scholars vary the launch angle, fountain height, launch speed, and...

How can people control a hot air balloon? The simple simulation allows scholars to adjust the payload mass, burner, and vent position on a hot air balloon and observe the changes in velocity and altitude over time. Challenge questions...

How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...

Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...

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...

Where does the energy of an arrow come from? Is it from the person, the bow, or somewhere else? A simulation allows scholars to adjust the stretch distance and the elastic constant in order to understand where the energy comes from, what...

How does an airplane control its take off and descent? Scholars explore the forces acting on an airplane and control the angle of attack, wing profile, thrust, and airplane size. They learn about lift, drag, thrust, gravity, and the...

Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and...

Can a horse pull more than its weight? A simple simulation answers this question and more. Pupils adjust the mass in a cart, the mass of the horse, the acceleration of the horse, and the angle of the tension rope between the horse and...

The sun can tell us what time it is with a sun dial, but can the moon do the same? Scholars play with a simulation of the phases of the moon. They control the type of moon and time of day in order to see when the sun is up and when the...