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PhET Explorations: Equation Grapher
Learn about graphing polynomials. The shape of the curve changes as the
constants are adjusted. View the curves for the individual terms (e.g.
y
=
bx
) to see how they add to generate the polynomial curve.
Figure 1.15 Equation Grapher
http://cnx.org/content/m42092/1.4/equation-grapher_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Estimation
Explore size estimation in one, two, and three dimensions! Multiple levels of
difficulty allow for progressive skill improvement.
Figure 1.26 Estimation (
http://cnx.org/content/m42120/1.6/estimation_en.jar )
First-semester physics Asst 01: Spend 15 minutes, 10 minutes to
familiarize yourself with the exploration and 5 minutes to jot down your results
and your insights.
Submit a copy of your results and insights using the Submit Work Form, with
title 'PhET Estimation'.
PhET Explorations: Moving Man Simulation
Learn about position, velocity, and acceleration graphs. Move the little man
back and forth with the mouse and plot his motion. Set the position,
velocity, or acceleration and let the simulation move the man for you.
Figure 2.24 Moving Man (
http://cnx.org/content/m42100/1.3/moving-man_en.jar )
First-semester physics Asst 04: Initial position, velocity and
acceleration are controlled by sliders. Experiment with positive, negative
and zero initial velocity, combined with positive, negative and zero
acceleration. Use low, medium and high initial velocity with low, medium
and high accelerations. Spend 20 minutes, 15 minutes to familiarize
yourself with the simulation
and 5 minutes to jot down your results and your insights.
Submit a copy of your results and insights using
the Submit Work Form, with title 'Moving Man'
PhET Explorations: Ladybug Motion 2D
Learn about position, velocity and acceleration vectors. Move the ladybug by
setting the position, velocity or acceleration, and see how the
vectors change. Choose linear, circular or elliptical motion, and record and
playback the motion to analyze the behavior.
Figure 3.7 Ladybug Motion 2D (
http://cnx.org/content/m42104/1.4/ladybug-motion-2d_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Maze Game
Learn about position, velocity, and acceleration in the "Arena of Pain". Use the
green arrow to move the ball. Add more walls to the arena to
make the game more difficult. Try to make a goal as fast as you can.
Figure 3.25 Maze Game (
http://cnx.org/content/m42127/1.6/maze-game_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Vector Addition
Learn how to add vectors. Drag vectors onto a graph, change their length and
angle, and sum them together. The magnitude, angle, and
components of each vector can be displayed in several formats.
Figure 3.36 Vector Addition (
http://cnx.org/content/m42128/1.10/vector-addition_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Projectile Motion
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.
Figure 3.43 Projectile Motion (
http://cnx.org/content/m42042/1.8/projectile-motion_en.jar )
Physics I Assignment 08: Set the cannon to fire at 70 degrees, at 20
meters / second. Hold your index finger straight up and move it from left
to right, keeping it just ahead of the projectile. Try this a few times
until you get the 'feel' of the left-to-right motion (click the 'erase' button
between trials so you can see the motion). Does your finger speed up or
slow down?
Now hold your index finger horizontal, parallel to the floor, and similarly
trace the up-and-down motion of the projectile. Does your finger speed up
or slow down, and if so where does it do each?
How do you think the acceleration and velocity vectors would behave for this
motion?
Submit a copy of your results and insights using
the Submit Work Form, with title 'Cannonball
Motion'
PhET Explorations: Motion in 2D
Try the new "Ladybug Motion 2D" simulation for the latest updated version. Learn
about position, velocity, and acceleration vectors. Move the
ball with the mouse or let the simulation move the ball in four types of motion
(2 types of linear, simple harmonic, circle).
Figure 3.51 Motion in 2D (
http://cnx.org/content/m42045/1.7/motion-2d_en.jar )
Physics I Assignment 07: Move the dot straight from the left of the screen
to the right, taking a few seconds to complete the motion. Which vector
represents the velocity, and which represents the acceleration? When is
the acceleration vector longest? When is the velocity vector longest?
When do the vectors have the same direction, and when are their directions
opposite?
Repeat but move the dot as quickly as possible from left to right.
Describe the behaviors of the two vectors.
Now start in the upper left-hand corner, moving at first to the right, but as
you continue to move to the right gradually begin arcing downwards so that you
follow a graceful (?) curve from upper right to lower left. Describe the
behavior of the velocity and acceleration vectors.
Now move the dot around a circular path. Follow a slow circular path, then
try to double your speed along the same path. How does the direction of
the acceleration vector compare with that of the velocity vector? If you
double the speed, then what happens to the magnitudes of the velocity vector and
the acceleration vector?
Submit a copy of your results and insights using
the Submit Work Form, with title 'Ladybug Motion'.
PhET Explorations: Gravity Force Lab
Visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. Change
properties of the objects in order to see how it changes the gravity
force.
Figure 4.11 Gravity Force Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42074/1.3/gravity-force-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Forces in 1 Dimension
Explore the forces at work when you try to push a filing cabinet. Create an
applied force and see the resulting friction force and total force acting
on the cabinet. Charts show the forces, position, velocity, and acceleration vs.
time. View a free-body diagram of all the forces (including
gravitational and normal forces).
Figure 4.21 Forces in 1 Dimension (
http://cnx.org/content/m42075/1.4/forces-1d_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Forces and Motion
Explore the forces at work when you try to push a filing cabinet. Create an
applied force and see the resulting friction force and total force acting
on the cabinet. Charts show the forces, position, velocity, and acceleration vs.
time. Draw a free-body diagram of all the forces (including
gravitational and normal forces).
Figure 5.7 Forces and Motion (
http://cnx.org/content/m42139/1.3/forces-and-motion_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Masses & Springs
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.
Figure 5.12 Masses & Springs (
http://cnx.org/content/m42080/1.4/mass-spring-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Ladybug Revolution
Figure 6.7 Ladybug Revolution (
http://cnx.org/content/m42083/1.4/rotation_en.jar )
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.
PhET Explorations: Gravity and Orbits
Move the sun, earth, moon and space station to see how it affects their
gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances
between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen
without it!
Figure 6.14 Gravity and Orbits (
http://cnx.org/content/m42086/1.5/gravity-and-orbits_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Energy Skate Park
Learn about conservation of energy with a skater dude! Build tracks, ramps and
jumps for the skater and view the kinetic energy, potential
energy and friction as he moves. You can also take the skater to different
planets or even space!
Figure 7.13 Energy Skate Park (
http://cnx.org/content/m42149/1.3/energy-skate-park_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: The Ramp
Explore forces, energy and work as you push household objects up and down a
ramp. Lower and raise the ramp to see how the angle of
inclination affects the parallel forces acting on the file cabinet. Graphs show
forces, energy and work.
Figure 7.20 The Ramp (
http://cnx.org/content/m42150/1.4/the-ramp_en.jar )
Physics I Assignment 11:
PhET Explorations: Masses and Springs
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 energies for each spring.
Figure 7.22 Masses and Springs (
http://cnx.org/content/m42151/1.4/mass-spring-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Collision Lab
Investigate collisions on an air hockey table. Set up your own experiments: vary
the number of discs, masses and initial conditions. Is momentum
conserved? Is kinetic energy conserved? Vary the elasticity and see what
happens.
270 CHAPTER 8 | LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS
Figure 8.7 Collision Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42163/1.3/collision-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Lunar Lander
Can you avoid the boulder field and land safely, just before your fuel runs out,
as Neil Armstrong did in 1969? Our version of this classic video
game accurately simulates the real motion of the lunar lander with the correct
mass, thrust, fuel consumption rate, and lunar gravity. The real
lunar lander is very hard to control.
Figure 8.15 Lunar Lander (
http://cnx.org/content/m42166/1.3/lunar-lander_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Torque
Investigate how torque causes an object to rotate. Discover the relationships
between angular acceleration, moment of inertia, angular
momentum and torque.
Figure 9.6 Torque (
http://cnx.org/content/m42170/1.4/torque_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Balancing Act
Play with objects on a teeter totter to learn about balance. Test what you've
learned by trying the Balance Challenge game.
Figure 9.22 Balancing Act (
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/balancing-act )
PhET Explorations: Ladybug Revolution
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.
Figure 10.7 Ladybug Revolution (
http://cnx.org/content/m42177/1.4/rotation_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: My Solar System
Build your own system of heavenly bodies and watch the gravitational ballet.
With this orbit simulator, you can set initial positions, velocities, and
masses of 2, 3, or 4 bodies, and then see them orbit each other.
Figure 10.20 My Solar System (
http://cnx.org/content/m42180/1.5/my-solar-system_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: States of Matter—Basics
Heat, cool, and compress atoms and molecules and watch as they change between
solid, liquid, and gas phases.
Figure 11.3 States of Matter: Basics (
http://cnx.org/content/m42186/1.4/states-of-matter-basics_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Gas Properties
Pump gas molecules to a box and see what happens as you change the volume, add
or remove heat, change gravity, and more. Measure the
temperature and pressure, and discover how the properties of the gas vary in
relation to each other.
362 CHAPTER 11 | FLUID STATICS
Figure 11.9 Gas Properties (
http://cnx.org/content/m42189/1.4/gas-properties_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Buoyancy
When will objects float and when will they sink? Learn how buoyancy works with
blocks. Arrows show the applied forces, and you can modify the
properties of the blocks and the fluid.
Figure 11.26 Buoyancy (
http://cnx.org/content/m42196/1.7/buoyancy_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Gas Properties
Pump gas molecules into a box and see what happens as you change the volume, add
or remove heat, change gravity, and more. Measure the
temperature and pressure, and discover how the properties of the gas vary in
relation to each other.
Figure 13.26 Gas Properties (
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gas-properties )
PhET Explorations: States of Matter—Basics
Heat, cool, and compress atoms and molecules and watch as they change between
solid, liquid, and gas phases.
CHAPTER 13 | TEMPERATURE, KINETIC THEORY, AND THE GAS LAWS 457
Figure 13.31 States of Matter: Basics (
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/states-of-matter-basics )
PhET Explorations: States of Matter
Watch different types of molecules form a solid, liquid, or gas. Add or remove
heat and watch the phase change. Change the temperature or
volume of a container and see a pressure-temperature diagram respond in real
time. Relate the interaction potential to the forces between
molecules.
Figure 13.35 States of Matter: Basics (
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/states-of-matter )
PhET Explorations: Reversible Reactions
Watch a reaction proceed over time. How does total energy affect a reaction
rate? Vary temperature, barrier height, and potential energies.
Record concentrations and time in order to extract rate coefficients. Do
temperature dependent studies to extract Arrhenius parameters. This
simulation is best used with teacher guidance because it presents an analogy of
chemical reactions.
Figure 15.38 Reversible Reactions (
http://cnx.org/content/m42237/1.5/reversible-reactions_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Pendulum Lab
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. Notice the anharmonic behavior at large amplitude.
Figure 16.15 Pendulum Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42243/1.4/pendulum-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Wave on a String
Watch a string vibrate in slow motion. Wiggle the end of the string and make
waves, or adjust the frequency and amplitude of an oscillator. Adjust
the damping and tension. The end can be fixed, loose, or open.
CHAPTER 16 | OSCILLATORY MOTION AND WAVES 573
Figure 16.34 Wave on a String (
http://cnx.org/content/m42248/1.4/wave-on-a-string_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Wave Interference
Make waves with a dripping faucet, audio speaker, or laser! Add a second source
or a pair of slits to create an interference pattern.
Figure 16.43 Wave Interference (
http://cnx.org/content/m42249/1.4/wave-interference_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Wave Interference
Make waves with a dripping faucet, audio speaker, or laser! Add a second source
or a pair of slits to create an interference pattern.
Figure 17.7 Wave Interference (
http://cnx.org/content/m42255/1.3/wave-interference_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Sound
This simulation lets you see sound waves. Adjust the frequency or volume and you
can see and hear how the wave changes. Move the listener
around and hear what she hears.
Figure 17.34 Sound (
http://cnx.org/content/m42296/1.4/sound_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Balloons and Static Electricity
Why does a balloon stick to your sweater? Rub a balloon on a sweater, then let
go of the balloon and it flies over and sticks to the sweater. View
the charges in the sweater, balloons, and the wall.
Figure 18.10 Balloons and Static Electricity (
http://cnx.org/content/m42300/1.5/balloons_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: John Travoltage
Make sparks fly with John Travoltage. Wiggle Johnnie's foot and he picks up
charges from the carpet. Bring his hand close to the door knob and
get rid of the excess charge.
Figure 18.17 John Travoltage (
http://cnx.org/content/m42306/1.4/travoltage_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Electric Field of Dreams
Play ball! Add charges to the Field of Dreams and see how they react to the
electric field. Turn on a background electric field and adjust the
direction and magnitude.
Figure 18.21 Electric Field of Dreams (
http://cnx.org/content/m42310/1.5/efield_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Charges and Fields
Move point charges around on the playing field and then view the electric field,
voltages, equipotential lines, and more. It's colorful, it's dynamic,
it's free.
Figure 18.27 Charges and Fields (
http://cnx.org/content/m42312/1.5/charges-and-fields_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Charges and Fields
Move point charges around on the playing field and then view the electric field,
voltages, equipotential lines, and more. It's colorful, it's dynamic,
it's free.
674 CHAPTER 19 | ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND ELECTRIC FIELD
Figure 19.12 Charges and Fields (
http://cnx.org/content/m42331/1.3/charges-and-fields_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Capacitor Lab
Explore how a capacitor works! Change the size of the plates and add a
dielectric to see the effect on capacitance. Change the voltage and see
charges built up on the plates. Observe the electric field in the capacitor.
Measure the voltage and the electric field.
Figure 19.20 Capacitor Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42333/1.4/capacitor-lab_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Ohm's Law
See how the equation form of Ohm's law relates to a simple circuit. Adjust the
voltage and resistance, and see the current change according to
Ohm's law. The sizes of the symbols in the equation change to match the circuit
diagram.
Figure 20.10 Ohm's Law (
http://cnx.org/content/m42344/1.4/ohms-law_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Resistance in a Wire
Learn about the physics of resistance in a wire. Change its resistivity, length,
and area to see how they affect the wire's resistance. The sizes of
the symbols in the equation change along with the diagram of a wire.
Figure 20.14 Resistance in a Wire (
http://cnx.org/content/m42346/1.5/resistance-in-a-wire_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Generator
Generate electricity with a bar magnet! Discover the physics behind the
phenomena by exploring magnets and how you can use them to make a
bulb light.
Figure 20.20 Generator (
http://cnx.org/content/m42348/1.4/generator_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Neuron
Figure 20.36 Neuron (
http://cnx.org/content/m42352/1.3/neuron_en.jar )
Stimulate a neuron and
PhET Explorations: Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only), Virtual Lab
Stimulate a neuron and monitor what happens. Pause, rewind, and move forward in
time in order to observe the ions as they move across the
neuron membrane.
CHAPTER 21 | CIRCUITS, BIOELECTRICITY, AND DC INSTRUMENTS 755
Figure 21.33 Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only), Virtual Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42360/1.4/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab_en.jar
)
PhET Explorations: Circuit Construction Kit (DC only)
An electronics kit in your computer! Build circuits with resistors, light bulbs,
batteries, and switches. Take measurements with the realistic
ammeter and voltmeter. View the circuit as a schematic diagram, or switch to a
life-like view.
Figure 21.42 Circuit Construction Kit (DC only) (
http://cnx.org/content/m42363/1.5/circuit-construction-kit-dc_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Magnets and Electromagnets
Explore the interactions between a compass and bar magnet. Discover how you can
use a battery and wire to make a magnet! Can you make it
a stronger magnet? Can you make the magnetic field reverse?
Figure 22.14 Magnets and Electromagnets (
http://cnx.org/content/m42368/1.3/magnets-and-electromagnets_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Generator
Generate electricity with a bar magnet! Discover the physics behind the
phenomena by exploring magnets and how you can use them to make a
bulb light.
796 CHAPTER 22 | MAGNETISM
Figure 22.41 Generator (
http://cnx.org/content/m42382/1.2/generator_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Magnet and Compass
Ever wonder how a compass worked to point you to the Arctic? Explore the
interactions between a compass and bar magnet, and then add the
Earth and find the surprising answer! Vary the magnet's strength, and see how
things change both inside and outside. Use the field meter to
measure how the magnetic field changes.
Figure 22.45 Magnet and Compass (
http://cnx.org/content/m42388/1.3/magnet-and-compass_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab
Play with a bar magnet and coils to learn about Faraday's law. Move a bar magnet
near one or two coils to make a light bulb glow. View the
magnetic field lines. A meter shows the direction and magnitude of the current.
View the magnetic field lines or use a meter to show the direction
and magnitude of the current. You can also play with electromagnets, generators
and transformers!
Figure 23.10 Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42392/1.3/faraday_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Generator
Generate electricity with a bar magnet! Discover the physics behind the
phenomena by exploring magnets and how you can use them to make a
bulb light.
Figure 23.30 Generator (
http://cnx.org/content/m42414/1.4/generator_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Circuit Construction Kit (AC+DC), Virtual Lab
Build circuits with capacitors, inductors, resistors and AC or DC voltage
sources, and inspect them using lab instruments such as voltmeters and
ammeters.
Figure 23.53 Circuit Construction Kit (AC+DC), Virtual Lab (
http://cnx.org/content/m42431/1.4/circuit-construction-kit-ac-virtual-lab_en.jar
)
PhET Explorations: Radio Waves and Electromagnetic Fields
Broadcast radio waves from KPhET. Wiggle the transmitter electron manually or
have it oscillate automatically. Display the field as a curve or
vectors. The strip chart shows the electron positions at the transmitter and at
the receiver.
Figure 24.8 Radio Waves and Electromagnetic Fields (
http://cnx.org/content/m42440/1.4/radio-waves_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Color Vision
Make a whole rainbow by mixing red, green, and blue light. Change the wavelength
of a monochromatic beam or filter white light. View the light
as a solid beam, or see the individual photons.
Figure 24.22 Color Vision (
http://cnx.org/content/m42444/1.4/color-vision_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Bending Light
Explore bending of light between two media with different indices of refraction.
See how changing from air to water to glass changes the bending
angle. Play with prisms of different shapes and make rainbows.
Figure 25.20 Bending Light (
http://cnx.org/content/m42462/1.4/bending-light_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Geometric Optics
How does a lens form an image? See how light rays are refracted by a lens. Watch
how the image changes when you adjust the focal length of
the lens, move the object, move the lens, or move the screen.
Figure 25.26 Geometric Optics (
http://cnx.org/content/m42466/1.4/geometric-optics_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Color Vision
Make a whole rainbow by mixing red, green, and blue light. Change the wavelength
of a monochromatic beam or filter white light. View the light
as a solid beam, or see the individual photons.
Figure 26.14 Color Vision (
http://cnx.org/content/m42487/1.4/color-vision_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Models of the Hydrogen Atom
How did scientists figure out the structure of atoms without looking at them?
Try out different models by shooting light at the atom. Check how
the prediction of the model matches the experimental results.
Figure 29.6 Models of the Hydrogen Atom (
http://cnx.org/content/m42554/1.3/hydrogen-atom_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Photoelectric Effect
See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment
that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.
Figure 29.10 Photoelectric Effect (
http://cnx.org/content/m42558/1.3/photoelectric_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Color Vision
Make a whole rainbow by mixing red, green, and blue light. Change the wavelength
of a monochromatic beam or filter white light. View the light
as a solid beam, or see the individual photons.
Figure 29.16 Color Vision (
http://cnx.org/content/m42563/1.4/color-vision_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Quantum Wave Interference
When do photons, electrons, and atoms behave like particles and when do they
behave like waves? Watch waves spread out and interfere as
they pass through a double slit, then get detected on a screen as tiny dots. Use
quantum detectors to explore how measurements change the
waves and the patterns they produce on the screen.
Figure 29.21 Quantum Wave Interference (
http://cnx.org/content/m42573/1.3/quantum-wave-interference_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Rutherford Scattering
How did Rutherford figure out the structure of the atom without being able to
see it? Simulate the famous experiment in which he disproved the
Plum Pudding model of the atom by observing alpha particles bouncing off atoms
and determining that they must have a small core.
Figure 30.13 Rutherford Scattering (
http://cnx.org/content/m42592/1.4/rutherford-scattering_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Quantum Wave Interference
When do photons, electrons, and atoms behave like particles and when do they
behave like waves? Watch waves spread out and interfere as
they pass through a double slit, then get detected on a screen as tiny dots. Use
quantum detectors to explore how measurements change the
waves and the patterns they produce on the screen.
Figure 30.49 Quantum Wave Interference (
http://cnx.org/content/m42606/1.3/quantum-wave-interference_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Stern-Gerlach Experiment
The classic Stern-Gerlach Experiment shows that atoms have a property called
spin. Spin is a kind of intrinsic angular momentum, which has no
classical counterpart. When the z-component of the spin is measured, one always
gets one of two values: spin up or spin down.
Figure 30.57 Stern-Gerlach Experiment (
http://cnx.org/content/m42614/1.6/stern-gerlach_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Build an Atom
Build an atom out of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and see how the element,
charge, and mass change. Then play a game to test your ideas!
Figure 30.63 Build an Atom (
http://cnx.org/content/m42618/1.4/build-an-atom_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Beta Decay
Watch beta decay occur for a collection of nuclei or for an individual nucleus.
Figure 31.7 Beta Decay (
http://cnx.org/content/m42623/1.5/beta-decay_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Radioactive Dating Game
Learn about different types of radiometric dating, such as carbon dating.
Understand how decay and half life work to enable radiometric dating to
work. Play a game that tests your ability to match the percentage of the dating
element that remains to the age of the object.
Figure 31.11 Radioactive Dating Game (
http://cnx.org/content/m42627/1.4/radioactive-dating-game_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Alpha Decay
Watch alpha particles escape from a polonium nucleus, causing radioactive alpha
decay. See how random decay times relate to the half life.
Figure 31.24 Alpha Decay (
http://cnx.org/content/m42636/1.5/alpha-decay_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Nuclear Fission
Start a chain reaction, or introduce non-radioactive isotopes to prevent one.
Control energy production in a nuclear reactor!
CHAPTER 31 | RADIOACTIVITY AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS 1135
Figure 31.29 Nuclear Fission (
http://cnx.org/content/m42640/1.4/nuclear-fission_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets
Watch quantum "particles" tunnel through barriers. Explore the properties of the
wave functions that describe these particles.
Figure 31.34 Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets (
http://cnx.org/content/m42644/1.4/quantum-tunneling_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Simplified MRI
Is it a tumor? Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can tell. Your head is full of
tiny radio transmitters (the nuclear spins of the hydrogen nuclei of
your water molecules). In an MRI unit, these little radios can be made to
broadcast their positions, giving a detailed picture of the inside of your
head.
Figure 32.8 Simplified MRI (
http://cnx.org/content/m42649/1.4/mri_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Alpha Decay
Watch alpha particles escape from a polonium nucleus, causing radioactive alpha
decay. See how random decay times relate to the half life.
Figure 32.11 Alpha Decay (
http://cnx.org/content/m42652/1.3/alpha-decay_en.jar )
PhET Explorations: Nuclear Fission
Start a chain reaction, or introduce non-radioactive isotopes to prevent one.
Control energy production in a nuclear reactor!
Figure 32.28 Nuclear Fission (
http://cnx.org/content/m42662/1.5/nuclear-fission_en.jar )
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