III. PHYSICS TOPICS

1. Inquiry, Reflection, and Social Implications
2. Motions of Objects
3. Forces and Motion
4. Forms of Energy and Energy Transformations

Additional Sites for Physics

1. Teaching Units / Lesson Plans
2. Student Activities / Projects / Interactive Sites
3. Information / Facts / Data / Reports
4. Videos / Movies / Animations
5. Photographs / Slides / Diagrams / Graphics
6. Periodicals / Journals / Newspapers
7. Searches / Explorations / Investigations
8. Physical Science Topics for Teachers

High School

a. P2.1 Position — Time
An object’s position can be measured and graphed as a function of time. An object’s speed can be calculated and graphed as a function of time.

1. Fear of Physics, learn about position, velocity, and acceleration
   This is a site that allows a student to input different values for the components of a moving object and see how it effects all the other components.
2. Graphing and Motion Tutorial New
   This site uses java applets for graph matching and graph predicting of position-time graphs of animated vehicles.
3. GraphLab New
   Outstanding - user can manipulate initial displacement, initial velocity, and acceleration and watch changes made to corresponding p-t and v-t graphs.
4. Graph Practice New
   Six different p-t graphs can be chosen where user is to determine the v-t and a-t graphs. Then, user can check there answers to standard.
5. Ladybug Revolution New
   Join the ladybug in an exploration of rotational motion. Rotate the merry-go-round to change its angle, or choose a constant angular velocity or angular acceleration. Explore how circular motion relates to the bug's x,y position, velocity, and acceleration using vectors or graphs
6. Minds on Physics New
   This website offers a number simulations in describing motion that is interactive with the students.
7. Multimedia Physics Studio-The Passing Lane New
   Animation showing p-t graphs of two cars (one faster than other) and where the slower car gets passed by the faster car.
8. Pendulum Lab New
   Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It's easy to measure the period using the photogate timer. You can vary friction and the strength of gravity. Use the pendulum to find the value of g on planet X.
9. Physics Classroom New
   Tutorial on p-t graphs, but does have limited interactivity with problems toward the bottom.
10. Physics for Physical Science
    The unit on motion in this site is very descriptive and contains a lot of graphs and animation. Subjects covered are: projectile motion, momentum, force, energy, and power.
11. Physics Lab-Online New
    Outstanding - After the second graph is a link called Poisition-Time Physlet. This is ineractive where user moves the mouse to match different graphs.
12. Physics Lab: P-T graphs New
    Printable worksheet with questions/diagrams for p-t graphs.
13. Position versus Time, or X vs T New
    Another interactive site where user moves mouse and can watch the corresponding graph changes (positive and negative moves).
14. Projectile Motion New
    Blast a Buick out of a cannon! Learn about projectile motion by firing various objects. Set the angle, initial speed, and mass. Add air resistance. Make a game out of this simulation by trying to hit a target.
15. Reading P-T graphs.New
    Decent powerpoint explaining the reading of P-T graphs.
16. The Physics Classroom Tutorial New
    Plain tutorial on position-time graphs.
17. Trip: Position-Time Graph Activity New
    Printable worksheet of a bike trip with various velocities (+ and -) in order to graph p-t.
18. TutorVista-Kinematics New
    Plain tutorial on p-t graphs, with non-uniform motion.
19. Velocity Time Graph Assignment New
    Printable worksheet with 3 problems, where students graph p-t and v-t graphs.

b. P2.2 Velocity — Time
The motion of an object can be described by its position and velocity as functions of time and by its average speed and average acceleration during intervals of time.

1. Acceleration (V-T) Graphs New
   Acceleration (V-T) Graphs
2. Chapter 2 Velocity - Motion of Objects
   This is another site that allows you to input velocity and see how it effects motion.
3. Distance-Time and Velocity-Time Graphs New
   Outstanding - Interactive site that shows two runners and their d-t graphs. User can change one velocity and observe the changes on the d-t graph.
4. Fowler's Physics Applets New
   This website offers a number of applets that deal with different aspects of motion.
5. Graphing and Motion Tutorial New
   This site uses java applets for graph matching and graph predicting of velocity-time graphs of animated vehicles.
6. Masses and Springs New
   A realistic mass and spring laboratory. Hang masses from springs and adjust the spring stiffness and damping. You can even slow time. Transport the lab to different planets. A chart shows the kinetic, potential, and thermal energy for each spring.
7. Motion Graph New
   This website offers interactive java applets that graph different aspects of motion versus time. Students must match the graphs with the vehicle's motion.
8. Physics Classroom Tutorial New
   Good tutorial on reading V-T graphs.
9. Physics for Physical Science
   The unit on motion in this site is very descriptive and contains a lot of graphs and animation. Subjects covered are: projectile motion, momentum, force, energy, and power.
10. PhysicsLab-Constant Velocity New
    Ok tutorial on reading v-t graphs, but has links at the bottom of page to many resources.
11. The Physics Classroom: Describing Motion with V-T Graphs New
    Above average tutorial finding the area under curve of v-t graphs.
12. The Physics Classroom-Reading V-T Graphs New
    Outstanding - The page does ok explaining the graphs, but towards the bottom is a link to animations. There are several quick and simple animations available.
13. TutorVista: V-T Graphs New
    Good tutorial on reading graphs.
14. Velocity-Time Graphs New
    One pager with 9 graphs of common v-t graphs.

c. P2.3x Frames of Reference
All motion is relative to whatever frame of reference is chosen, for there is no motionless frame from which to judge all motion.

1. American Museum of Natural Science-Frames of Reference New
   Outstanding - Interactive site has 9 different problems where the user guesses the situation for the given frame of reference.
2. Einsteinlight New
   Animation of two people, one on a merry go round and the other off it where it shows frame of reference of each.
3. Frames of Reference (1960) New
   Good, vintage video with many examples of frames of reference.
4. Frames of Reference: The Basics
   Newton's equations describe and predict the way an object moves: but moves with regard to what?
5. Lesson 9: Relative Motion and Frames of Reference
   Relative motion is just a way of saying that sometimes different people will say different things about the motion of the same object.
6. Relative Motion (Frame of Reference)
   An object may appear to have one motion to one observer and a different motion to a second observer, depending on how the two observers are moving with respect to one another.
7. Virtual Physics Lab New
   User can select amongst 3-4 different moving objects to view frame of reference and how other things move relative to each other.