PHYSICS WEBSITES

1) Carl Wieman presented at the BC Assoc of Physics Teachers (BCAPT)
meeting on Saturday May 5th. He presented free physics simulations
from the Physics Education Technology (PhET) project. All of these
simulations have strict design criteria and are effective in
improving student understanding and motivation. Check them out at:
http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/index.html

Science 10 (and next year Sc 9) teachers will find static and current
Electricity simulations. Chemistry teachers will find Gas Laws, Rates
and Reactions, buoyancy of gases. Physics Teachers will find all
kinds of simulations from friction to quantum theory.

Carl Wieman was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for creating
the world's first Bose-Einstein condensate, an unusual quantum state
of matter that forms only at temperatures close to absolute zero. He
now leads the $12 million dollar Carl Wieman Science Education
Initiative at UBC to support science departments in improving
undergraduate student education.

2) Science Joy Wagon's "Physics Zone" is at www.sciencejoywagon.com/physicszone. This

site has a variety of tutorial lessons, many of which include animations. Topics include motion,

forces, work and energy, momentum, electricity and magnetism, waves-light and sound, nuclear

and modern physics. There is a review section containing "Phlash Cards" which feature "101

Physics Phacts" that everyone should know. Finally, there is a great set of links. These are divided

into links for physics help, research, "physics phun" (including everything from misconceptions to

jokes to physics limericks) and "phamous phaces". While this site is useful for senior secondary and

advanced placement, much of the material is quite appropriate for junior high as well.

3) The Ohm Zone is a shockwave assisted site that is wonderful for junior secondary electricity. The

site is interactive and allows the instructor to demonstrate, or the students to actually build, an endless

variety of series and parallel circuits. Animation shows the direction of conventional current through the

circuits and the voltage and current are recorded on meters at the top of the screen. The site can be

located at www.article19.com/shockwave/oz.htm.

4) One of the most popular high school physics tutorial sites is found at www.physicsclassroom.com.

Headings include tutorials, multimedia physics studio and physics help. The tutorials include subjects

such as kinematics, Newton's laws, vectors (motion and forces in 2-D), momentum, work, energy and

power, sound and light. The multimedia physics studio is a definite highlight!

5) As secondary schools go, Glenbrook South High School must rank near the very top as creators of

websites go. The GBS site has been moving around lately, but most recently it was located at

www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/phys.html. Tom Henderson et al have spent a lot of

time creating a website for this Illinois high school. The tutorial and multimedia sections simply link to

the Physics Classroom site (#3 above) though there are some additional shockwave physics studio

interactive animations. Portions of the site are for GBS students only and require passwords.

HOWEVER, the "Quiz Room" is a good resource for teachers and students. There are multiple

versions of quizzes and tests on a wide variety of topics. The "Review Session" contains practice

quizzes and answers to the quizzes.

6)  An Awesome site for physics animations!  From Australia:

http://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au/