Interactive Science Simulations

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Interactive Science Simulations
Fun, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena from the PhET project at the University of Colorado.

A
Alpha Decay
Arithmetic

B
Balloons & Buoyancy
Balloons and Static Electricity
Band Structure
Battery Voltage
Battery-Resistor Circuit
Blackbody Spectrum

C
Charges and Fields
Circuit Construction Kit (AC+DC)
Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only)
Color Vision
Conductivity
Curve Fitting

D
Davisson-Germer: Electron Diffraction
Double Wells and Covalent Bonds

E
Eating & Exercise
Electric Field Hockey
Electric Field of Dreams
Energy Skate Park
Equation Grapher
Estimation

F
Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab
Faraday's Law
Forces in 1 Dimension
Fourier: Making Waves
Friction

G
Gas Properties
Generator
Geometric Optics
Glaciers
The Greenhouse Effect

J
John Travoltage

L
Ladybug Revolution
Lasers
Lunar Lander

M
Magnet and Compass
Magnets and Electromagnets
Masses & Springs
Maze Game
Microwaves
Models of the Hydrogen Atom
Molecular Motors
Motion in 2D
The Moving Man
My Solar System

N
Neon Lights and Other Discharge Lamps
Nuclear Fission

O
Ohm's Law
Optical Quantum Control
Optical Tweezers and Applications

P
Pendulum Lab
pH Scale
Photoelectric Effect
Plinko Probability
Projectile Motion

Q
Quantum Bound States
Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets
Quantum Wave Interference

R
Radio Waves & Electromagnetic Fields
The Ramp
Reactions & Rates
Resistance in a Wire
Reversible Reactions
Rutherford Scattering

S
Salts & Solubility
Self-Driven Particle Model
Semiconductors
Signal Circuit
Simplified MRI
Sound
States of Matter
Stern-Gerlach Experiment
Stretching DNA

T
Torque

V
Vector Addition

W
Wave Interference
Wave on a String

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PhET Interactive Simulations is an ongoing effort to provide an extensive suite of simulations to improve the way that physics, chemistry, biology, earth science and math are taught and learned. The simulations are interactive tools that enable students to make connections between real life phenomena and the underlying science which explains such phenomena. Our team of scientists, software engineers and science educators use a research-based approach – incorporating findings from prior research and our own testing – to create simulations that support student engagement with and understanding of scientific concepts.

In order to help students visually comprehend thse concepts, PhET simulations animate what is invisible to the eye through the use of graphics and intuitive controls such as click-and-drag manipulation, sliders and radio buttons. In order to further encourage quantitative exploration, the simulations also offer measurement instruments including rulers, stop-watchs, voltmeters and thermometers. As the user manipulates these interactive tools, responses are immediately animated thus effectively illustrating cause-and-effects relationships as well as multiple linked representations (motion of the objects, graphs, number readouts, etc…).

To ensure eduational effectiveness and usability, all of the simulations are extensively tested and evaluated. These tests include student interviews in addition to actual utilization of the simulations in a variety of settings, including lectures, group work, homework and lab work. Our rating system indicates what level of testing has been completed on each simulation.

All PhET simulations are freely available from the PhET website and are easy to use and incorpate into the classroom. They are written in Java and Flash, and can be run using a standard web browser as long as Flash and Java are installed.