Physics Links

  1. Carl Wieman presented at the BC Assoc of Physics Teachers (BCAPT) meeting on Saturday May 5th. He presented free physics simulations from the Physics Education Technology (PhET) project. All of these simulations have strict design criteria and are effective in improving student understanding and motivation. Check them out at:  http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/index.html.  Science 10 (and next year Sc 9) teachers will find static and current Electricity simulations. Chemistry teachers will find Gas Laws, Rates and Reactions, buoyancy of gases. Physics Teachers will find all kinds of simulations from friction to quantum theory.
    Carl Wieman was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for creating the world’s first Bose-Einstein condensate, an unusual quantum state of matter that forms only at temperatures close to absolute zero. He now leads the $12 million dollar Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at UBC to support science departments in improving undergraduate student education.
  2. Science Joy Wagon’s “Physics Zone” is at www.sciencejoywagon.com/physicszone. This site has a variety of tutorial lessons, many of which include animations. Topics include motion, forces, work and energy, momentum, electricity and magnetism, waves-light and sound, nuclear and modern physics. There is a review section containing “Phlash Cards” which feature “101 Physics Phacts” that everyone should know. Finally, there is a great set of links. These are divided into links for physics help, research, “physics phun” (including everything from misconceptions to jokes to physics limericks) and “phamous phaces”. While this site is useful for senior secondary and advanced placement, much of the material is quite appropriate for junior high as well.
  3. The Ohm Zone is a shockwave assisted site that is wonderful for junior secondary electricity. The site is interactive and allows the instructor to demonstrate, or the students to actually build, an endless variety of series and parallel circuits. Animation shows the direction of conventional current through the circuits and the voltage and current are recorded on meters at the top of the screen. The site can be located at www.article19.com/shockwave/oz.htm.
  4. One of the most popular high school physics tutorial sites is found at www.physicsclassroom.com.  Headings include tutorials, multimedia physics studio and physics help. The tutorials include subjects such as kinematics, Newton’s laws, vectors (motion and forces in 2-D), momentum, work, energy and power, sound and light. The multimedia physics studio is a definite highlight!
  5. As secondary schools go, Glenbrook South High School must rank near the very top as creators of websites go. The GBS site has been moving around lately, but most recently it was located at www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/phys.html. Tom Henderson et al have spent a lot of time creating a website for this Illinois high school. The tutorial and multimedia sections simply link to the Physics Classroom site (#3 above) though there are some additional shockwave physics studio interactive animations. Portions of the site are for GBS students only and require passwords.  HOWEVER, the “Quiz Room” is a good resource for teachers and students. There are multiple versions of quizzes and tests on a wide variety of topics. The “Review Session” contains practice quizzes and answers to the quizzes.
  6. An Awesome site for physics animations!  From Australia: http://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au/