Physics Links, Resources & Activities

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See a list of links related to each physics standard

Links verified 10/5/2021

Physics java applets | Java Applets on Physics | Virtual Labs and Simulations | Physlets | More Physlets | Fear of Physics | Shockwave Physics | Annenberg Interactive Labs | Virtual Laboratory | Physics Education Technology

1. The Physics Classroom! hosted by Glenbrook High School District 225 in Glenview and Northbrook, Illinois
   1. Multimedia Physics Studio - Is physics difficult for you to visualize? Do you need to see it to understand it? Then visit the Multimedia Physics Studio.
   2. Problem Sets - Problem sets are currently available for the following topics in Mechanics (Physical Science). Each problem set consists of 25-35 problems which vary in difficulty. A problem set includes the problems, a concealed answer which can be revealed by clicking a button, and an audio-guided solution.
   3. Shockwave Physics Studios
2. Physics Exams - problems with solutions are provided with full explanations, solved problems are suitable for physics course of high schools and college student
   
   1. Acceleration on Position-Time Graph
   2. Kinematics Practice Problems
   3. Position vs Time Graph
   4. Projectile Motion Practice Problems
   5. Velocity vs Time Graph
3. Albert Einstein Online - Before you quote Einstein on relativity, read Einstein on relativity. You can do that and much more from this site.
4. Amusement Park Physics - How do physics laws affect amusement park ride design? In this exhibit, you'll have a chance to find out by designing your own roller coaster. Plan it carefully--it has to pass a safety inspection. You can also experiment with bumper car collisions.
5. The Atoms Family - general physics topics related to energy presented at the middle school level..
6. Circles of Light: The Mathematics of Rainbows - This lab includes a good explanation of reflection and refraction.
7. Fear of Physics - Save your money, don't buy the simulation software. You can do a lot of simulations from this site.
8. Funderstanding Roller Coaster ! - Your mission is to design a coaster so that you can achieve maximum thrills and chills without crashing or flying off the track. You must decide on a number of factors; the height of hill #1, hill #2, the size of the loop, the initial speed of the coaster, its mass, the gravity at work and the amount of friction on the track
9. General Tables of Units of Measurement from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
10. H2O - The Mystery, Art, and Science of Water: The Physics of Water in the Universe
11. How Stuff Works - Explanations about all sorts of things that you might want to know. There is a lot of physics here, but don't limit this just to physics classes.
12. Interference of Light at a Double Slit - an applet to investigate interference
13. Kepler's laws by Bill Drennon (Well, the laws are by Johannes Kepler!) Though originally stated to describe the motion of planets around the sun, Kepler's Laws also apply to comets.
14. Light - a ThinkQuest site
15. Nobel Prize in Physics - from 1901 to 2007
16. NOVA - index to previous NOVA exhibits on the subject of physics and math
17. Physics Links from Physics Central
18. PhysLink - physics and astronomy online education and reference.
19. Roller Coaster Physics for Middle School Students - Thrills and Chills Without the Spills
20. Science Museum - this London museum has lots of "online stuff"
21. Science Toys - Make toys at home with common household materials, often in only a few minutes, that demonstrate fascinating scientific principles.
22. Scientific Notation - a lesson on why and how to use scientific notation.
23. Significant Digits - an interactive site to allow practice on identifying the number of significant digits in a displayed number. A student gets immediate feedback regarding the correctness of their answer, however there are no clues given if a student is wrong.
24. Simple Machines
    1. Lever an Obelisk - this NOVA site provides a shockwave animation for students to investigate a lever
    2. Pulley - Investigate mechanical advantage of a pulley with this interactive java applet
    3. Move Our Principal - Students learn about the six simple machines then use their knowledge to assist their principal. ( middle school level )
    4. Simple Machines Made Simple - an introduction to the six simple machines
    5. Work and Simple Machines - this show includes questions and practice problems, and provides answers
25. Simulations
    1. Fear of Physics - index page - physics explained using computer graphics and animations
    2. Interactive Physlets - index page of physics applets
    3. Interactive Shockwave Physics - index of four pages of topics
    4. Multimedia Physics Studios - animations, not simulations
    5. Physics Java Applets - index page
    6. Shockwave Physics Studio - guest access is provided
    7. Virtual Laboratory - index of physics applets
26. Solar Cookers
    1. The "Minimum" Solar Box Cooker - A great solar oven you can build quickly from two cardboard boxes
    2. Cook hot dogs with the Sun in minutes - how to make a powerful solar concentrator that can cook four or five hot dogs in minutes. ( scroll down, you did arrive at the right page )
    3. Plans for over two dozen solar cookers
    4. Make a pizza box solar oven
    5. Make a solar powered marshmallow roaster ( scroll down, you did arrive at the right page )
    6. Solar Box Cooker - a great solar oven you can build quickly from two cardboard boxes
27. Special Processes of an Ideal Gas - an applet to investigate ideal gases
28. Sports sites
    1. Baseball Science from the Exploratorium - The latest in the Exploratorium's Sport Science series includes features on hitting a fastball, throwing a curve, putting something on the ball and more.
    1. The Science Behind Baseball - Ira Flatow of NPR's Science Friday gives a 35 minute report
    2. The Science of Ballooning with topics like density, atmosphere, and jet stream covered by this PBS special
    3. The Science of Baseball - from the Why files
    4. The Science of Cycling - From aerodynamics to the wheel, bicycles make for interesting science. Check out an interview with top mountain biker, Ruthie Matthes. Learn about frames and materials from a custom bike maker. Try interactive javascripts that calculate braking distances and energy consumption and lots more!
    5. The Science of Hockey - mechanics, energy, motion and other physics concepts are covered. There is an excellent section on how to calculate reaction time (remember the dropping meter stick or dollar?)
    6. The Science of Skateboarding - Skaters use laws of physics to perform cool style skateboard tricks
    7. The Science of the Slam - how high a player jumps depends on how much force he uses to push off the floor when he jumps
29. Tacoma Narrows Bridge Failure - a set of 8 b&w photos with short captions. You can also go to page with a download link for a short film clip of the twisting of the bridge.
30. Then and Now - A Science Odyssey takes you on a journey through the most spectacular 100 years in the history of science and technology.
    1. Mysteries of the Universe; Physics and Astronomy
    2. Bigger, Better, Faster; Technology
31. Time Dilation Model - The applet demonstrates that the clock in the spaceship goes more slowly than the two clocks of the system in which Earth and Pluto are motionless.
32. Tutorials by Bill Byles
    1. Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion
    2. Sound - Calculating decibel levels
33. U.C. Berkeley Physics Lecture Demonstrations
34. Understanding Sound Intensity - a good decibel scale is included
35. Waves - an index of information about a variety of topics

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