Displacement and Distance
A simple animation showing the difference between the distance and the displacement. Requires Flash 5; file size is 5k. View
Constant Acceleration
1-dimensional kinematics of a body undergoing constant acceleration. Includes visually integrating the acceleration and velocity graphs, and visually differentiating the position and velocity graphs. View
Motion Animation
A car with a non-zero initial speed has a constant acceleration whose value can be controlled by the user. View
Dropping Two Balls Near the Earth's Surface
Two balls falling near the Earth's surface under the influence of gravity. The initial horizontal speed of one of the balls may be varied. View
Galilean Relativity
Illustrating Galilean relativity using his example of dropping a ball from the top of the mast of a sailboat. View
Foucault Pendulum
A simple snimation viewing a Foulcault Pendulum at the North Pole from an inertial frame above the Earth. See also the Foucault Pendulum animation in the Relativity section. View
Projectile Motion
Firing a projectile when air resistance is negligible. The initial height and angle may be adjusted. View
Kinematics of Projectile Motion
A visualisation exploration of the kinematics of projectile motion. View
The Monkey and the Hunter
An animation of the classic lecture demonstration. The actual demonstration is preferable if possible; then this animation can be given to the students for later review. View
Racing Balls
Two balls roll down two different low-friction tracks near the Earth's surface. The user is invited to predict which ball will reach the end of the track first. This problem is difficult for many beginning Physics students. View
Racing Skiers
The "Racing Balls" animation which is accessed via the above line sometimes triggers cognitive dissonance and rejection in beginning students. For some of these, changing the balls to skiers helps to clarify the situation, and that is what this animation does. The "Racing Balls" one should be used with students first. View
Air Track Collisions
Elastic and inelastic collisions on an air track, with different masses for the target cart. View
Newton's Cradle
A small animation of Newton's Cradle, sometimes known as Newton's Balls. View
Hooke's Law
A simple animation illustrating Hooke's Law. View
Coordinate System for Circular Motion
An unusual coordinate system for describing circular motion. View
Vertical Circular Motion
A mass is in circular motion in the vertical plane. We show the weight and force exerted by the tension in the string. View
Forces on a Pendulum
The weight, force due to tension, and total force exerted on the bob of a pendulum are shown. View
Rolling Disc
A simple animation that traces the motion of a point on a rolling disc. View
Right-Hand Screw Rule
The direction of the angular velocity vector given by a right-hand screw rule. View
Direction of the Angular Velocity Vector
A simple animation of the direction of the angular velocity vector. View
Curling
Curling rocks and tori sliding across surfaces. View
How Does a Cat Land on its Feet?
The saying is that cats always land on their feet. This animation explains how they do this. View
Precession of a Spinning Top
A simple animaiton of a spinning top which precesses. View
Simple Harmonic Motion I
Demonstrating that one component of uniform circular motion is simple harmonic motion. View
Simple Harmonic Motion II
Illustrating and comparing Simple Harmonic Motion for a spring-mass system and for a oscillating hollow cylinder. View
Damped Simple Harmonic Motion
The damping factor may be controlled with a slider. The maximum available damping factor of 100 corresponds to critical damping. View
Driven Simple Harmonic Motion
A harmonic oscillator driven by a harmonic force. The frequency and damping factor of the oscillator may be varied. View
Coupled Harmonic Oscillators
Two simple pendulums connected by a spring. The mass of one of the pendulums may be varied. Within mathematical rounding errors, the resolution on the screen of one pixel, and a frame rate of 12 frames per second the animation is correct, not an approximation. View
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Submitted by christoff on 9/18/2011
This is great, so many amazing animations.
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