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Physics Simulations

On this page I make available physics simulation programs which you can use to better visualize certain concepts in physics. Using the links provided you can download the executable files, written in Java, which you can run directly on your computer. All you need to run them is to have Java installed on your computer. The files are in compressed "zip" format and must be uncompressed before you can use them. Once you've done that just double-click on the files to run the simulation.

Projectile Motion Simulator – This shows the path taken by a particle thrown up in the air, assuming no air resistance. The variables Vx and Vy are the initial launch velocity of the particle, in the horizontal and vertical direction, respectively. The simulation is only valid when these two velocities are positive. If you enter a negative number for Vx or Vy, the program just takes the absolute value of it, so it is as if you entered a positive number. The airborne time shown in the simulation is not the same as the actual airborne time in real life.

Simple Pendulum Simulator – This shows the swinging motion of a simple pendulum, as a function of its length and the acceleration due to gravity. The swinging time shown in the simulation is approximately equal to the swinging time in real life.

I will add more simulation programs in the future.



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