Explore the interactions between various combinations of two atoms. Turn on the …
Explore the interactions between various combinations of two atoms. Turn on the force arrows to see either the total force acting on the atoms or the individual attractive and repulsive forces. Try the "Adjustable Attraction" atom to see how changing the parameters affects the interaction.
Students explore static electricity by rubbing a simulated balloon on a sweater. …
Students explore static electricity by rubbing a simulated balloon on a sweater. As they view the charges in the sweater, balloon, and adjacent wall, they gain an understanding of charge transfer. This item is part of a larger collection of simulations developed by the Physics Education Technology project (PhET). The simulations are animated, interactive, and game-like environments.
Look inside a resistor to see how it works. Increase the battery …
Look inside a resistor to see how it works. Increase the battery voltage to make more electrons flow though the resistor. Increase the resistance to block the flow of electrons. Watch the current and resistor temperature change.
Look inside a battery to see how it works. Select the battery …
Look inside a battery to see how it works. Select the battery voltage and little stick figures move charges from one end of the battery to the other. A voltmeter tells you the resulting battery voltage.
The PhET project at the University of Colorado creates "fun, interactive, research-based …
The PhET project at the University of Colorado creates "fun, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena." This particular one deals with Beer's Law. "The thicker the glass, the darker the brew, the less the light that passes through." Make colorful concentrated and dilute solutions and explore how much light they absorb and transmit using a virtual spectrophotometer! The simulation is also paired with a teachers' guide and related resources from PhET. The simulation is also available in multiple languages.
Explore bending of light between two media with different indices of refraction. …
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.
When we look at the night sky, we see stars and the …
When we look at the night sky, we see stars and the nearby planets of our own solar system. Many of those stars are actually distant galaxies and glowing clouds of dust and gases called nebulae. The universe is an immense space with distances measured in light years. The more we learn about the universe beyond our solar system, the more we realize we do not know. Students are introduced to the basic known facts about the universe, and how engineers help us explore the many mysteries of space.
We’ve talked about different materials engineers use to build things in the …
We’ve talked about different materials engineers use to build things in the world, but there’s a special category of materials they turn to when building things to go inside our bodies. In this episode we’ll explore the world biomaterials like titanium and their coatings, the special chemistry of polyurethane, and the cross-linked structure of hydrogels. We’ll also look at the importance of safety & research, as well as the enormous future potential of biomaterials.
We’ve discussed the four main branches of engineering but there are so …
We’ve discussed the four main branches of engineering but there are so many other fields doing important work, so today we’re going to explore a few of them. In this episode we’ll explore some of the history and fundamentals of industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, and bioengineering.
How does the blackbody spectrum of the sun compare to visible light? …
How does the blackbody spectrum of the sun compare to visible light? Learn about the blackbody spectrum of the sun, a light bulb, an oven, and the earth. Adjust the temperature to see the wavelength and intensity of the spectrum change. View the color of the peak of the spectral curve.
Students are introduced to our Sun as they explore its composition, what …
Students are introduced to our Sun as they explore its composition, what is happening inside it, its relationship to our planet (our energy source), and the ways engineers help us learn about it.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE Have you ever heard of Gak? Take this hands-on activity …
PHYSICAL SCIENCE Have you ever heard of Gak? Take this hands-on activity to the next level and make your own bouncy balls so you can learn a little something about polymers.
ABOUT THE SCIENCE In response to the July 22, 2016 Health Canada advisory, the bouncy ball experiment was recently updated.
Balls have been around for thousands of years and, believe it or not, the earliest balls were made of stone and wood! Not much bounce to those first ones!Bouncing balls were first made with natural rubber, but now, they can also be made of plastics and other polymers. Polymers are molecules made up of repeating chemical units, and they can be either natural or synthetic. Natural polymers are wool, silk, and natural rubber, whereas synthetic polymers can be made of nylon, silicone, or synthetic rubber. Bouncy balls (as a toy), were invented by a chemist who was experimenting with rubber. He found when he compressed rubber together under about 3500 pounds per square inch (psi) the result was a really durable sphere capable of extremely high bounce. Other factors that affect a ball’s ability to bounce are: temperature, outside coverings, different surfaces for bouncing and whether or not the ball is solid or inflated with air
Students will understand the structural importance of the arch shape in bridge …
Students will understand the structural importance of the arch shape in bridge design. Students will compare and contrast modern arch bridges to historical arch bridges. Students will design and sketch their own arch bridge design.
Students will understand what a cable-stayed bridge is and its structural importance. …
Students will understand what a cable-stayed bridge is and its structural importance. Students will identify the different key parts of a cable-stayed bridge. Students will study how the forces of compresion and tension are distributed on this type of bridge. Students will make comparisons between cable stayed bridges and other bridges that they are familiar with. Students will design and construct a scale sketch of their own cable-stayed bridge.
Students will understand how suspension bridges work. Students will identify the main …
Students will understand how suspension bridges work. Students will identify the main parts of a suspension bridge. Students will know the signifigance of suspension bridges to modern construction. Students will design and draw their own suspension bridge. Students will learn what civil engineers put into consideration when designing a suspention bridge.
Students will learn the geometry and structural importance of a truss which …
Students will learn the geometry and structural importance of a truss which allows it to be used to make bridges. Students will work in pairs to design, build, and test the strength of their own small wooden truss bridge. Students will know the importance of materials used in truss bridges.
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