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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Special Relativity on Rotated Graph Paper Model

For Students 9th - 10th
A representation of Minkowski spacetime diagrams using graph paper that is rotated, showing the world lines of three stationary observers with light clocks.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Simultaneity Spacetime Diagram

For Students 9th - 10th
Manipulate variables in order to observe the effects of relative motion on events such as an explosion and the time at which its light signal reaches a destination.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Minkowski Diagram Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation examining simultaneity and causality in special relativity by manipulating the space and time coordinates of one or two events.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Einstein Cannon Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The path of cannonballs fired near a black hole are computed using the Schwarzschild metric and presented in this visualization, allowing for study of the theory of general relativity. The cannon's angle and the number and speed of the...
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: General Relativity Schwarzschild

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Visualization that uses the Schwarzschild metric, showing the orbit light travels near a black hole.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Gravitational Lensing Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation showing the behavior of photons in three different gravitational lens scenarios.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Particle Worldline Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation exploring the behavior of particles as they approach a black hole using Schwarzschild coordinates.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Double Pendulum Poincare Map

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A double pendulum model where the angles and angular velocities can be manipulated and the effects observed.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Kicked Rotor Dynamics Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation analyzing the motion of a rotor that is repeatedly kicked. Adjust the settings for kick strength and speed and observe the results.
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Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Lorenz Attractor Periodic Orbits

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation of a Lorenz attractor which is shaped like a butterfly. Manipulate the image and observe from all sides as the orbits about two fixed points are drawn.
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Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Logistic Map Fixed Points Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation of a logistic map with fixed points where the user can manipulate periodic trajectories and observe the results.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Double Pendulum Phase Space Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Adjust to conditions of a double pendulum model and observe the results in an accompanying graph.
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Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Chaotic Electric Circuit Explorer

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation investigating the characteristics of two electrical circuits that exhibit chaotic behavior, Chua's circuit and an autonomous relaxation oscillator (ARO), by adjusting the settings.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Swinging Atwood's Machine Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Variation on the standard Atwood's Machine model, where one hanging mass swings like a pendulum and the other remains stationary. Manipulate the conditions and observe the results.
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Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Compton Effect

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation demonstrating the Compton Effect; how light is scattered off an electron. Adjust the angle of the scattering to see how Compton's equation can be used to predict the angle of the photon that is scattered.
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Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Blackbody Radiation: Frequency

For Students 9th - 10th
Simulation of the blackbody radiation curves of Planck demonstrating the effect of changing the frequency or the wavelength.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Falling in Fluid Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Simulation exploring the effects of gravitational, buoyant, and drag forces upon a sphere as it falls through a liquid.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Free Fall Air Resistance Model

For Students 9th - 10th
A Java-based simulation where students can observe what happens to a free-falling object, with and without air resistance. Controls allow the user to adjust settings and the results are graphed as the simulation progresses.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: General Relativity (Gr) Package

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive collection of simulations, activities, and worksheets for exploring relativity. Topics include Newtonian Physics, special relativity, Schwarzschild metric, Rain metric, Kerr metric, and general relativity orbits.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Pendulum Energy Model

For Students 6th - 8th
A simulation exploring the energy produced by a simple pendulum, written for middle school. Includes a lesson plan with accompanying worksheets.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Standing Waves in a Pipe Model

For Students 9th - 10th
A simulation that permits exploration of a standing wave inside a pipe that can be open or closed at either end. The user can adjust the number of wave nodes.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Projectile Motion With Angry Birds

For Students 9th - 10th
Analyze the path of a bird's flight as it attempts to obliterate pigs in the well-known game, Angry Birds. Comes with lab activities, a video, and a simulation. The latter requires software called Tracker, which is free to download.
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Activity
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Multiple Coin Toss Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore flipping multiple coins through this downloadable java simulation. The complete results of the tossing experiment is shown on a graph of the cumulative probability of heads.
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Interactive
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Astronomy: Sidereal Solar Day

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A computer based simulation demonstrating the difference between a sidereal day and a solar day.