What's NEW at The Physics Classroom?
We've been at this task of providing students, teachers, and classrooms high-quality, ready-to-use resources for a long time. And we are as passionate about it now as we were 29 years ago when we started. We are always working on something new. But it is such a big website that the new additions often get nested deep inside of a section and are never noticed for months or even years after being published. So we're aiming to fix that problem with this page of announcements. Visit this page to find out about our most recent additions. And check back often in anticipation of finding new surprises.
December, 2024
December 27, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 9: Stoichiometry
We have completed Lesson 2 of
Chapter 9 of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our last page -
Stoichiometry Plus - discusses more difficult problems that add concepts (density, balancing equations, etc.) and conversions to a three-step, gram-to-gram stoichiometry problem. We are starting Lesson 3 today and should have it completed by the end of next week.
December 26, 2024
Inclined Plane Concept Checker
We released an
Inclined Plane simulation a couple of weeks ago and we published a
Student Activity Sheet about one week later. Now we have an
Inclined Plane Concept Checker. Concept Checkers are coordinated with a simulation and activity sheet and provide a great follow-up to the inclusion of the simulation in a lesson plan. Do the activity with the simulation, process it, and follow it up with a Concept Checker as an assessment of understanding.
December 23, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 9: Stoichiometry
December 20, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 9: Stoichiometry
We are making rapid progress on
Chapter 9 of our
Chemistry Tutorial. We have published two more pages. Lesson 1 is titled A Framework for Thinking Stoichiometrically; it is now complete with the publishing of
Conversions and Connections. This page describes the landscape surrounding a stoichiometry problem. The use of the factor label method and a graphic organizer known as Mole Island is introduced. Lesson 2 has been started up with the first page titled
Mole-to-Mole Relationships. Lesson 2 will include a multitude of different problem types with detailed solutions and discussions of how to approach a stoichiometry problem.
December 19, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 9: Stoichiometry
We have published our first two pages of
Chapter 9 of our
Chemistry Tutorial. The chapter pertains to the topic of stoichiometry. Lesson 1 is titled A Framework for Thinking Stoichiometrically. The lesson as a whole will construct the foundation for how to think about stoichiometric quantities such as mass and moles of reactants and products. Our first page is titled
Recipes, Ratios, and Relationships and discusses the role of ratios (mole ratios and molar mass ratios) in answering
how much questions. Our second page is titled
The Law of Conservation of Mass and devotes a lot of attention to analyzing data generated on the first page to establish that mass is conserved in a chemical reaction. We are likely to have our entire chapter complete by January 1 or shortly thereafter.
December 18, 2024
Student Activity Sheet and Concept Checker for Making An Ion Simulation
Our vision for our simulation pages is to provide a freely downloadable student activity sheet and an accompanying Concept Checker. Teachers can use the simulation in class with the help of the activity sheet. At the appropriate time, they can process the activity and then use the Concept Checker as a check for understanding. We published the
Making An Ion simulation yesterday. And now we have a
Student Activity Sheet and
Concept Checker available.
December 17, 2024
Chemistry Simulation: Making An Ion
Our collection of Chemistry Simulations has just increased by 1. Our
Making An Ion simulation models ion fomration for elements hydrogen through calcium. Students view the electrons occupying the electron shells and watch electrons being lost or gained as the ion is formed. It's a great activity for introducing ion formation with a visual impact. Special thanks to Physics and Chemistry teacher Chris Bruce (
Nerd Island Studios |
SimBucket) for creating this simulation for us.
December 16, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial: Chapter 8 is Completed
December 13, 2024
Inclined Plane Simulation - Student Activity Sheet
At the beginning of last week, we published an
Inclined Plane Simulation. We have released a
Student Activity Sheet for the simulation. These are freely downloadable activities that provide some guidance to students in terms of what to do, what to collect, and what to analyze.
Chapter 8 Study Cards for Chemistry Tutorial
We are generally delayed in the publication of Study Cards for our Chemistry Tutorial. But we always get around to them. Over the past couple of days we published Study Cards for the following pages. Study Cards are linked to in the
Before You Leave section of each page. Study Cards are now available for the following pages:
What is a Chemical Reaction? ||
Chemical Equations ||
Writing Balanced Chemical Equations ||
Lesson 2 Reaction Type pages
Study cards provide a succinct, highly graphical presentation of a topic. They are intended as tools that students can download and save and use for review purposes.
December 12, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial Page on Single Replacement Reactions
We are nearing completion of
Chapter 8 of our Chemistry Tutorial. Our third of five pages in Lesson 2 is now published.
Single Replacement Reactions discusses both cation replacement and anion replacement reactions. The metal and halogen reactivities are introduced and used to predict if a reaction will occur. There are numerous examples of predicting products and balancing equations. A Check Your Understanding section provides additional practice questions accompanied by answers and explanations.
December 11, 2024
Phase Changes Simulation: Student Activity Sheet and Concept Checker
December 10, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial Page on Combustion Reactions
Progress continues in Lesson 2 of
Chapter 8 of our Chemistry Tutorial. Our second of five pages, titled
Combustion Reactions, is now live. The focus is on how to recognize combustion reactions and to predict the products of such reactions. An emphasis is placed on analyzing hydrocarbon combustion reactions.
December 9, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial Page on Synthesis and Decomposition Reactions
We have begun the second lesson of two in
Chapter 8 of our Chemistry Tutorial. The page is titled
Synthesis and Decomposition Reactions. A thorough discussion of these two types of reactions is given. The emphasis is on cultivating the skill of predicting the products of the reaction and writing balanced chemical equations. There are several examples given that illustrate this skill.
December 6, 2024
Chemistry Simulation: Phase Change
We do not have a lot of Chemistry Simulations but we have 50% more this week than last week. You have to see our Phase Change simulation. You can make quick work of warming a sample of frigid ice to its melting point, melt it, warm the resulting liquid to its boiling point, boil it, and continue increasing the temperature of the gas until you blow the lid off the containers. Wish we could warm things up this quickly in our northern climate. Special thanks to Physics and Chemistry teacher Chris Bruce (
Nerd Island Studios |
SimBucket) for creating this simulation for us.
Friday Fix Day
We have a lot of edits out today and over the course of the week. Here they are:
December 5, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial Page on Writing Balanced Chemical Equations
We have published our third page in
Chapter 8 of our Chemistry Tutorial. The page is titled
Writing Balanced Chemical Equations. The page discusses mass conservation, provides a method for balancing chemical equations, and demonstrates the use of the method with seven examples. Each example has detailed solutions. The Check Your Understanding section includes six additional balancing equation practice questions, along with several other conceptual questions. Our Before You Leave section includes a link to our Balancing Chemical Equations Concept Builder. This page completes the first lesson of two lessons in the chapter.
December 4, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial Page on Chemical Equations
We have published our second page in
Chapter 8 of our Chemistry Tutorial. The page is titled
Chemical Equations and focuses on the use of several representations - word equations, particle diagrams, and balanced chemical equations - to represent a chemical reaction. We expect to be finishing up our first of two lessons tomorrow.
December 3, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 8: Chemical Reactions
Chapter 8 of our Tutorial is now started. Our first page on the topic of
What is a Chemical Reaction? is now live. The page focuses on the concept of chemical reactions involving a rearrangement of atoms. Emphasis is given to the energy associated with bond breaking and bond forming. The evidences of a chemical reaction are discussed. Two reactions - synthesis of water and combustion of methane - are used to demonstrate concepts.
December 2, 2024
Chapter 7 Study Cards
December 1, 2024
Inclined Plane Simulation
We have a new interactive titled Inclined Plane. The interactive simulates the motion of an object along an inclined plane. There are a variety of variables that can be altered and output displays that can be toggled on and off. We anticipate heavy usage of this simulation and hope to put together a student activity sheet and Concept Checker to support classroom teachers who are designing lesson plans around the activity. Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for contributing this simulation to our collection.
November, 2024
November 29, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 7 is Complete!
The seventh chapter of our Chemistry Tutorial is now complete. Lesson 2d on the topic of
Empirical and Molecular Formulae is now live. We have been planning Chapter 8 on the topic of Chemical Reactions. The
Table of Contents for Chapter 8 is also live. The first pages should start coming out by mid-week of this coming week.
November 27, 2024
We were fortunate enough to squeeze two Tutorial pages up on the site before Thanksgiving.
Chemistry Tutorial - Grams-Moles-Particles Relationship
A thorough discussion of mole conversions with seven examples, six practice problems with answers and complete solutions, and links to locations (Concept Builders and CalcPad problem sets) with additional practice. You can't beat this!!
Chemistry Tutorial - Percent Composition
A step-by-step demonstration of how to calculate the percent composition of elements in a compound. Includes three examples of varying difficulty, three practice problems with answers and complete solutions, and links to three Problem Sets at the Calculator Pad for additional, interactive practice. You can't beat this either!!
Bug Fixes / Tweaks
Fixed some Inline PDFs were not rendering properly.
Fixed bug where CalcPad assignments with custom Assignment Names were not showing on Task List with the Custom Name.
Fixed Ad styling bug that would cause Ads to sometimes extend the page beyond normal width.
November 26, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Molar Mass of Compounds
We have started Lesson 2 of
Chapter 7. The focus will be on an mathematical analysis of compounds. The first page is on the topic of molar mass and the skill of calculating it. There are numerous exmples and links to more interactive pratice - a Concept Builder and Calculator Pad problem sets. We should be done with Lesson 2 by week's end.
November 25, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Grams-Moles-Atoms Relationship
We have just completed Lesson 1 of Chapter 7 -
The Mole and Its Applications - is complete. Our latest page -
Grams-Moles-Atoms Relationship - goes to great length discussing the use of Avogadro's number and molar mass with the factor label method to solve six types of problems. There are eight exmples in all and links to more at our Calculator Pad.
November 22, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - The Mole
The third page of Lesson 1 in our new chapter -
The Mole and Its Applications - is complete.
Lesson 1c is now live. The page discusses Avogadro's number and its significance as a supersizing factor from amu to grams. The concept of molar mass is also discussed. And don't miss the mole jokes.
November 21, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Measuring Atomic Mass
The second page of Lesson 1 in our new chapter -
The Mole and Its Applications - is complete.
Lesson 1b is now live. It pertains to the use of atomic mass spectroscopy to determine the average atomic mass of an element.
November 20, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Atomic Mass
Solutions Guide Fix - ansvect4
An error was reported on the ansvect4.docx and ansvect4.pdf solutions (Version2Docs\VectorsProjectiles) guide for the Vector Addition by Components Worksheet. The issue was on #1 for the 2nd and 3rd magnitude and resultants, the incorrect CCW angle was provided. These have been corrected. Future downloads will have this fix, if you wish to just retrieve the 2 updated files, please use the
contact form and I'll send them to you.
November 15, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Ionic Compounds
November 14, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
We have added a fifth chapter to the Chemistry section of our Curriculum Corner. The chapter is titled The Modern Atomic Model. Five chapters are done. Many more to go ... but we may have have it completed this school year.
November 13, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Lesson 3 Study Cards
We have completed all our Check Your Understanding sections in Lesson 3 and uploaded four study cards, one for each page of Lesson 4. Study cards are a downloadable graphic organizer that students can use to support their studies. We have completed the following study cards:
Links to study cards can be found on the above page in the
Before Your Leave section near the bottom of the page.
November 12, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Hybridized Orbital Theory
We have completed our tutorial page on hybridized orbitals. We are nearing the end of the chapter and should be done by the end of the week with all pages, all edits, Check Your Understanding sections, and Study Cards.
November 11, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Molecular Polarity
We have completed our tutorial page on molecular polarity. There is a strong graphical presentation and reliance upon electron dot diagrams and molecular geometry. There's a great set of practice questions in the Check Your Understanding section. We should have some Lesson 3 Study Cards coming out mid-week.
November 8, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Advanced VSEPR (with lone pairs)
Our second of two pages in Lesson 3 on the topic of
Advanced VSEPR is now published. The focus of this page is how the number of bonded atoms and lone pairs affect the molecular geometry. There are a load of graphics and visualizations.
November 7, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Valence Shell Electron Pair Replulsion Theory (VSEPR)
Our first of two pages in Lesson 3 on the topic of
Valence Shell Electron Pair Replulsion Theory (VSEPR) is now live. The focus of the page is on how the groups of electrons surrounding the central atom spread out in space to assume a particular electron pair geometry. All situations being analyzed include no lone paris on the central atom. Our second page will focus on molecular shape and situations with lone pairs. This page (and our next one) are full of graphics. Check it out!
November 6, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Formal Charge Considerations
Our last page of Lesson 2 of our
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Shape unit is now live. The page, titled
Formal Charge Considerations, discusses a strategy for evaluating competing Lewis electron dot diagrams. The page includes a clear presentation of what formal charge is, how to calculate it, and how to use such calculations in order to evaluate Lewis electron dot diagrams. There are numerous examples that are thoroughly discussed and there are more practice questions in the Check Your Understanding section that have answers and explanations. A Study Card is available for students to download and use as a follow-up study tool. Links to Study Cards (when available) can be found in the Before You Leave section of the page (at end of page). Formal charge is generally regarded as an honors-level or AP topic; we include such topics on separate pages. Teachers using the Tutorial with on-level students can simply not assign such pages; other pages can be used independent of this one.
November 5, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Octet Breakers
Our 3rd of three pages on drawing Lewis electron dot diagrams has been published. The page, titled
Octet Breakers, discusses situations in which the central atom of molecules exceeds the octet rule. Several dot diagrams for expanded octes are given. Boron compounds are also discussed. Some additional examples have been left for the Check Your Understanding section. A Study Card is available for this lesson.
November 4, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Double and Triple Bonds
Our 2nd of three pages on drawing Lewis electron dot diagrams is now live. The page, titled
Double and Triple Bonds, describes when to and how to go about drawing Lewis diagrams for situations involving double and triple bonds. There are 11 examples with thoroughly worked out diagrams that step through the process.
November 1, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Lewis Electron Dot Diagrams
We have completed our first of three pages on
Lewis Electron Dot Diagrams. For a student trying to figure out Lewis electron dot diagrams, this page is going to help. It's loaded with logic, details, examples, tips, and practice. Our second and third page on the topic will pertain to more complicated cases - multiple bonds and octet rule breakers.
October, 2024
October 31, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Covalent Bonding
We did something a bit tricky here. We skipped forward to Lesson 2 and completed the first page on
Covalent Bonding. We thought it would be a fitting treat. We will eventually finish the last page of Lesson 1.
October 30, 2024
New Study Cards
In the past few weeks, we have cycled back to early units in our
Chemistry Tutorial and added some Study Cards. Study Cards are downloadble graphic organizers/infographics that summarize key points presented on our Tutorial page. The presentation is more brief and very graphical. They are intended for students to use to support their studies. Each contains a QR Code that links to the page that provides full explanations of the concept and skill. Study Cards have recently been added for our page on
Scientific Notation,
Metric Units,
Metric Conversion,
Significant Digits, and
The Factor Label Method. Scroll to the Before You Leave section of the page to find the download link to the Study Card. We should be working on Study Cards for Chapter 2 soon.
October 29, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Ions and Ionic Bonding
Our second page of Lesson 1 of our newest chapter of the
Chemistry Tutorial is now complete. The page is titled
Ions and Ionic Bonding and it is LOADED with informative graphics and some text that steps students through the intricacies of ionic bonding. Electron shell diagrams, orbital box diagrams and electron configurations are used extensively to explain how metals and nonmetals engage in electron transfer bonding. There is a rich set of problems in the Check Your Understanding follow-up section. The available Study Card adds some whipped cream and cherry to the treat; see link in the
Before You Leave section of the page.
October 28, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chemical Bonding and Molecular Shape
Lesson 1 of our newest chapter of the
Chemistry Tutorial is on ionic bonding. We have published our first page titled
Types of Bonds. The page gives an overview of the various types of bonds and lays out ways of predicting what bond type would be formed from specific elements. There are several practice questions in the Check Your Understanding section and a downloadable Study Card that students can use as a review.
October 25, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Modern Model of the Atom
We have completed Chapter 5 of our
Chemistry Tutorial on
Modern Model of the Atom. We have published the four pages of Lesson 4 over the past couple of days. Lesson 4 was on the topic of periodic properties and periodic trends. A Study Card accompanies the Lesson. We are now in the process of planning Chapter 6 on the topic of
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Shape. We expect that pages of
Chapter 6 will start emerging early next week.
October 24, 2024
Electron Wave Animation
Our Tutorial page on wave-particle duality has been up for some time. But the page recently got some pizzazz with an animation of a de Broglie electron wave. The standing wave animation for the n=2, n=3, and n=4 energy levels adds some eye-candy to the page. Check it out
here.
October 23, 2024
Physics Interactives: GraphMouseSim
We have a new interactive titled
GraphMouseSim. The interactive allows users to drag out a motion path with their mouse or finger (on a touch screen) and view a x-position vs. time and a y-position vs. time plot of the motion. Users can explore how the features of the motion are related to the characteristics of the graph. Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for contributing this simulation to our collection.
October 22, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Exceptions to the Rules
October 21, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Electron Configurations and the Periodic Table
We are making progress through Lesson 3 of the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our newest page - titled
Electron Configurations and the Periodic Table - discusses how to use the periodic table to identify and write the electron configurations for elements. The orbital blocks are identified and discussed in detail There is an accompanying Study Card and an extensive collection of practice questions (with answers) in the Check Your Understanding section.
October 18, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Electron Configurations
We have started Lesson 3 of the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our newest page - titled
Electron Configurations - provides a thorough discussion of how to write electron configurations in complete and abbreviated format for atoms and ions. There is an accompanying Study Card and a very useful set of practice questions (with answers) in the Check Your Understanding section.
October 17, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Quantum Numbers
We have completed the last page of Lesson 2 in the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our newest page - titled
Quantum Numbers - discusses quantum numbers in much greater detail than discussed earlier in the lesson. The page is designed for those who are curious or need the information as a course requirement. The page can be easily skipped without consequence by classes who do not cover such details. A Study Card accompanies the page.
October 16, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Energy Levels
We have completed the third of four pages for Lesson 2 in the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our newest page - titled
Energy Levels- discusses the relative energies of the various energy sublevels (orbitals) and discusses the order by which electrons fill the orbitals. There is a heavy reliance upon the use of orbital box diagrams. A Study Card accompanies the page.
October 15, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Orbitals
We have completed a second page for Lesson 2 in the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Lesson 2 discusses the quantum mechanical model of the atom. Our newest page - titled
Orbitals - discusses the names, notation, shapes, spatial orientation, and electron capacity of atomic orbitals. A Study Card accompanies the page.
October 14, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Wave-Mechanical Model
October 11, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Wave-Particle Duality
We have completed Lesson 1 in the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial. Our last page on
wave-particle duality has gone live. The page begins with a discussion of the dual nature of light and ends with a discussion of the wave-like nature of the electron. The de Broglie wavelength equation is introduced and the electron wave model is discussed.
October 10, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - The Photon and Bohr's Quantized Energy Levels
We have added two more pages to our Lesson 1 in the
Modern Model of the Atom chapter of our
Chemistry Tutorial.
The Photon looks at the discoveries of Planck (blackbody radiation) and Einstein (photoelectric effect). A focus is placed upon the photon as an energy quantum.
Bohr's Quantized Energy Levels shows the mathematics of energy transitions for the hydrogen atom and relates those ∆E values to photon frequency and wavelength.
October 9, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Emission Spectrum of Elements
We have started Chapter 5 of our
Chemistry Tutorial on the topic of the
Modern Model of the Atom. The first page of Lesson 1 on line spectra is now live. The EM and visible light spectra are discussed. The concept of continuous and quantized is introduced. The line spectrum of hydrogen and electron transitions between energy levels is discussed.
October 8, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
We have added a fourth chapter to the Chemistry section of our Curriculum Corner. The chapter is titled Early Atomic Models. Four units are done. Many more to go ... but we will likely have it completed this school year.
October 7, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Naming Oxyacids
October 4, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Naming Acids
We have started Lesson 3 of our Compounds, Names, and Formulae Chapter. The
first of two pages is completed. The topic is acids that do not contain oxyanions. The page discusses how to name them and how to write formulae for them.
October 3, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Molecular Compounds
October 2, 2024
Physics Simulation - Escape Velocity
For those who teach escape velocity, you will be glad to hear the new of our newest simulation. The Escape Velocity Interactive allows learners to investigate the variables that effect the required velocity to escape a planet's gravitational pull. Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for contributing this simulation to our collection.
October 1, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Ionic Compounds Containing Polyatomic Ions
We have completed Lesson 1 of our Compounds, Names, and Formulae Chapter. Our Tutorial page on ionic compounds containing polyatomic ions is now live. The page introduces polyatomic ions and how to name and write a formula for a compound containing a polyatomic ion. There are numerous examples with explanations. The reading level is very suitable to a high school student. The Check Your Understanding section includes as many as 30 questions with answers and explanations. And a Study Card is available for download by students to use as a study tool.
September, 2024
September 30, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Writing Names and Formulas for Binary Ionic Compounds
Our Tutorial page on writing the names of binary ionic compounds (if given the formula) and writing the formulae of binary ionic compounds (if given the name) is now live. There's numerous examples, a Check Your Understanding section with lots of practice, and a Study Card that can be downloaded by students and used as a quick reference.
September 27, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Combining Ions to form Ionic Compounds
We have completed our second page of Chapter 4 -
Compounds, Names, and Formulas. The page discusses the logic behind how ions combine in specific ratios based on their charge in order to form ionic compounds. The concept of formula units and its comparison to molecules is also introduced.
September 26, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Properties of Ionic Compounds
We have started Chapter 4 of our Chemistry Tutorial. The chapter is titled
Compounds, Names, and Formulas. Our first page is titled Properties of Ionic Compounds. We have also added a
Reference section to our Tutorial. We will keep periodic tables, polyatomic ion lists, and any other information that will have value to students and teachers.
September 25, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 3
September 24, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 3, Lesson 3
We have published the first two of three pages of Lesson 3 of the third chapter of our Chemistry Tutorial. The first page details the patterns associated with ion formation by main group elements; it is titled
Metals, Nonmetals, and Ions. The second page discusses the peculiarities of
ion formation for transition metals.
September 23, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 3, Lesson 2
September 19, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 3: Mendeleev and the Periodic Law
We have published the first page of Lesson 2 of the third chapter of our Chemistry Tutorial. The page presents the logic that led Dmitry Mendeleev to his initial version of the periodic table.
September 18, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 3: Elements, Atoms, and Ions
We have started the third chapter of our new Chemistry Tutorial. Our table of contents is finalized. And Lesson 1 on the topic of the early history of atomic structure is now published. Lesson 1 consists of three pages. Students will learn how John Dalton's five postulates provided a means of thinking about 18th century research findings in terms of atoms. Students will also learn how the works of J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and Niels Bohr transitioned science from a view of the atom as indivisible to one in which the atom had an internal structure with electrons and protons. The Lesson ends with a comparsion of the "Big 3" - electrons, protons, and neutrons.
September 17, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
We have added a third chapter to the Chemistry section of our Curriculum Corner. The chapter is titled Measurement and the Metric System. Three units are done. Many more to go ... but we will likely have it completed this school year.
September 16, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Lesson 4: Density
We have completed our Tutorial chapter on the Chemistry of Matter. Lesson 4 on the topic of density has gone live. We will now begin work on Chapter 3 - Elements, Atoms, and Ions. It should be completed during the first week of October.
September 13, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Words, Symbols, and Particle Diagrams
Chemistry students have trouble interpretting formulae and making meaning of vocabulary terms like elements, compounds, atoms, and molecules. This Tutorial provides a logical presentation of the language and the formulae, combines it with seven multipart practice problems and a link to a Concept Builder, and seals the deal with a freely downloadable student Study Card.
September 12, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - The Periodic Table of Elements
We have started Lesson 3 of our second Chapter of the Chemistry Tutorial. The lesson on the Periodic Table of Elements is complete. It's filled with graphics, some awesome Check Your Understanding questions, and a downloadable Study Card that students can use as a study tool.
September 11, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chemical and Physical Changes
How are chemical and phsysical changes distinguished from one another? How can a chemical or physical change be identified? Our new Tutorial page on Chemical and Physical Changes addresses these questions. The page includes a heavy reliance on particle diagrams to represent each type of change.
September 10, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chemical and Physical Properties
We have published a new Tutorial page on Chemical and Physical Properties. The page steps through the importance of properties to identifying substances. Intensive and extensive properties are touched upon. Then the definitions of and distinctions between chemical and physical properties are given. There are numerous examples of each and lots of practice in the Check Your Understanding section.
September 9, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Classification of Matter
We have completed a Tutorial page on the classification of matter. The page discusses elements and compounds, pure substances and mixtures, and the distinction between homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures. There are plenty of examples and some great follow-up questions in the Check Your Understanding section. We have also included a downloadable Study Card for students. This is something which we hope to do more of.
September 6, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Chapter 2: Matter
We have started the second chapter of our new Chemistry Tutorial. Our table of contents is complete and our first page on the topic of Solids, Liquids, and Gases is published. Students will learn about how to distinguish between samples of matter on the basis of the state of matter. Besides the usual discussion, attention is given to particle explanations of macroscopic phenomenon and the use of particle diagrams as a tool for describing particulate realties. These two themes will run through the entire tutorial.
September 5, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Significant Digits Revisited
We published our last Tutorial page for our Measurements and Calculations in Chemistry chapter. The page focuses on why giving attention to significant digits in the reporting of numbers is more logical than writing down the collection of 12 numbers on your calculator's LCD panel. This completes our first chapter. We will start in on Chapter 2 tomorrow.
September 4, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Metric Unit Conversion
Our new Tutorial page on metric unit conversion is now out. There's plenty of examples, tips, and practice problems. It's designed for Chemistry. It works for all students in any science class.
September 3, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Factor Label Method
We posted our most recent addition to our Chemistry Tutorial - a page on the Factor Label Method. We should be finishing up our first chapter this week.
August, 2024
August 30, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial - Measurement and Calculations in Chemistry
We have completed Lesson 3 of our first chapter of the new Chemistry tutorial. Titled Measurements, the Lesson's three pages discuss the issue of measurement precision and uncertainty, the importance of maintaining significant digits in a measurement, the meaning of significant digits, and a variety of methods for evaluating the results of an experiment. While this was written for Chemistry students, it has applications to Physics students as well.
Friday Fix Day: Here's this week's fixes that went live today:
- Concept Builder: Chemistry - Measuring the Quantity of Heat. A recent update was missing some code to validate logged-in users. That has bow been added in. An additional wording change was made to the questions in the third activity. Version 2.2.2 has the fix.
- Fixed Bug where seat count display on the Classes page was including Students in Courses that were in the past subscription period.
- Fixed Bug where you could not preview a CalcPad assignment that was imported from another teacher
- Fixed Bug where the CalcPad errors were not showing the actual message
And here's some improvements that went live today:
- Clone tasks to course now stays open while you select multiple classes (vs closing each selection)
- Improved Guest Version of CalcPad message to reduce confusion over being logged in but just on guest version.
- Ordering Students by Last Name then First Name on listing (was not ordered)
August 28, 2024
Chemistry Tutorial
Now this is BIG. Possibly even HUGE. We have broken ground on a long-awaited project - a Chemistry Tutorial. This will be an approximately 18 month project to fill in the content for our planned 17 chapter online textbook. Our first chapter is now live. It is halfway completed.
August 27, 2024
Physics Interactives: Equilibrium Activity
This Equilibrium Interactive provides students with a multi-level challenge. Given one or more force vectors (depending on the difficulty level), students must add a final force vector to balance out the given force vectors.
August 26, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
We have added the final two Think Sheets to the
Names and Formulas unit of the Chemistry version of the Curriculum Corner. Two units are done. Many more to go ... but we will likely have it completed this school year.
August 23, 2024
Friday Fix Day: Here's this week's fixes that went live today:
- Physics Interactives || Kinematics: Two-Stage Rocket simulation. This simulation includes a built-in, follow-up quiz that coordinates with our freely-downloadable student activity. For numerical answers, our +/- toggle wasn't working properly in situations in which the answer field included a 0 or was completed cleared. It's fixed. Version 2.2 has the fix.
- Task Tracker. We have nine Physics Concept Builders that may have been difficult to find when teachers conduct category searches. We have refined our categories to make them consistent with the subsections displayed in the Concept Builder section of the website.
- The magician, Foo Ling Yu, will no longer be making appearances on our website. He's officially retired. To all who appreciated him, we are sorry for your loss; and our apologies to those who didn't appreciate him.
As we like to say, if you see an issue, then let us know. Use the Contact page to report it. We'll hop on it and get the update out soon.
August 22, 2024
Lab Procedures Concept Builder
This one is brand-spankin-new. Designed for chemistry teachers to support the mission of prepping students to be skilled lab students. Four activities; 78 questions; 17 question groups; endless learning. Check it out.
August 21, 2024
Torque and Rotation Simulation: Student Activity Sheet
Last week, we uploade a
new simulation titled Torque and Rotation. Today, we uploaded a
Student Activity Sheet for the simulation. We think the activity sheet would be very suitable for AP Physics 1 students.
August 19, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
The production of a Chemistry curriculum continues. The first half of our unit on
Names and Formulas is complete. Looking for some good quality Think Sheets on the topic of naming and formula-writing for ionic compounds? You will find it here.
August 16, 2024
Friday Fix Day: Sometimes you just have to get the wrenches (or worse, the demolition tools) out and do some repairs. This week we had to use both. Here's this week's fixes that went live today:
- Science Reasoning Center: Kinematics. Four of our questions had an answer option malfunction. You could only click on the bottom portion of the option to select it. Subtle issue with big consequences. It's fixed. Version 1.1 has the fix.
- Concept Builder: Chemistry - Measuring the Quantity of Heat. Our Wizard Difficulty Level had some errors and included an analysis that was way more difficult than we intended. We've replaced the problem with one that was more suitable for the level. All six questions in the level have had a redo. The Teacher Notes, the Preview page, and the Help pages have also been updated. Version 2.2.1 has the fix.
As we like to say, if you see an issue, then let us know. Use the Contact page to report it. We'll hop on it and get the update out soon.
August 14, 2024
Curriculum Corner - Chemistry Think Sheets
We have begun the production of a Chemistry curriculum. We have 16 units planned and the first unit on the topic of the
Chemistry of Matter is done. Many more to come. Check it out Chemistry teachers!
August 13, 2024
Directions for Task Tracker, Version 2
We have added what we think are the last three Task Tracker usage documents to our new location for Task Tracker directions. There are now approximately 40 PDF illustrated documents describing a variety of Task Tracker skills and how-tos. When you need some help, there's now plenty of ways to get it - video, PDF directions, one of our Training webinars, and the Contact form. Logged in Task Tracker teachers can view the direction PDFs
here.
August 12, 2024
Torque and Rotation Simulation
Whoa! Check this one out if you're going to teach torque and rotation this school year. This is a complete simulator for all things rotational. Alter the object type (solid disk, hollow ring, thin hoop, square, rectangle, narrow bar rotating at center or at end, barbell, etc.) and alter the magnitude, direction, and placement location of the force. Observe the effect of all such changes on five output parameters. Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for contributing this to our collection.
August 10, 2024
Directions for Task Tracker, Version 2
We have done a massive overhaul of our set of documentation for usage of Task Tracker. The new documentation reflects the new Version 2 interface and functionality features. We have moved all these documents into the Teacher Resources section of Task Tracker. Logged in Task Tracker teachers can view the directions
here.
August 9, 2024
ProjectileSim by KirbyX
We have a new projectile simulator. This one is loaded with input parameters and a rich set of display features. Take a peek. Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for contributing this to our collection.
Friday Fix: Significant Digits Concept Builder
August 8, 2024
Home School Courses
We have just completed a large project that we have called Home School Courses. A Home School Course is a complete course of study for students who wish to take a Physics course as an independent study course. We have put together extensive Study Plans for each unit of the course that direct students to use a variety of resources on our site to gain proficiency with a set of learning outcomes for that unit. We have three courses available - Conceptual Physics, On-Level Physics, and Honors Physics. This is a perfect solution for a home schooled student (thus the name) or a single student at a school who wishes to take a physics course but such a course is not offerred at the school. Content for the Home School course is only available to those who purchase it from our
Store.
August 7, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses
Done!! Our Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses have received some final touches. Some performance issues in the cloning process were spotted and corrected. And a collection of
Usage Directions have been updated to reflect the Version 2 Task Tracker interface. So teachers - clone with confidence!!
August 6, 2024
Teachers Are Ad-Free!
Paid for a Task Tracker Subscription? Awesome! As long as you are logged in you should not see ads! While you still need to purchase Ad-Free for your students if you want them to not get ads, you can bask in the glory of less annoyance and more website real estate.
August 2, 2024
Task Tracker Documentation - Version 2
We have added numerous PDFs to the site in the past two days for how to use Version 2 of Task Tracker. You can find several of the listed
here. We will be adding several more PDFs in the next few days.
August 1, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses
We have added two more pre-built Task Tracker courses. They are titled Chemistry Concept Builders and All Chemistry Resources. That gives us five pre-built courses. Teachers can create a class by cloning one of these two courses (or one of our three Physics course). When they do, a package of ready-to-use assignments will be added to their class. Task Tracker teachers can learn more about our Pre-Built course offerings by a trip to the
Teacher Resources section.
July, 2024
July 31, 2024
Lab Safety Concept Builder
We just released a new Chemistry Concept Builder titled Lab Safety. The Concept Builder was designed with the intent that it would be used during the first days of Chemistry class as a complement of a discussion of chemical lab safety. A few hours of lab safety YouTube videos and several lab safety contracts were previewed in preparation for this Concept Builder. These became the basis of the questions and Concept Builder design.
July 26, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Conceptual Physics - Done!!
Construction of our third pre-built course is complete. We have uploaded the final unit forthe Conceptual Physics course. All units will include lesson plans, lab ideas, teacher notes, and learning outcomes with associated activities. The Lesson Plans link to simulations and their Concept Checkers, Minds On Physics missions, Concept Builders, customized CalcPad problem sets (some of which will have newly-created problems made specific for this course), and Science Reasoning Center activities (NGSS). As we always say, ANY PHYSICS TEACHER CAN USE THESE. But for Task Tracker users, we are also packaging all of this together into a Pre-Built Course which can be cloned and used by your class. Once cloned, a teacher can easily modify the collection by adding or removing assignments and changing the pre-set scoring. Other than that, all a teacher needs to do is to simply change the dates so they display on students' assignment board. Check it out
here.
July 25, 2024
Conceptual Physics Course - Ray Optics Unit and Variables and Relationships Unit
We have completed two more units for our Conceptual Physics Pre-Built Course. The units are titled Experiments, Variables, and Relationships (the likely first unit) and Ray Optics (the likely last unit). This completes 11 of the 12 planned units. The final units is Circular Motion and Gravitation. We are still on target for completion by August 1, in time for the upcoming subscription season.
July 24, 2024
Motion Detector Interactive
Motion detector systems are difficult to purchase due to their price. But now you don't need to. Turn any device with a camera and a browser into a motion detector with our Motion Detector Interactive. For schools who have had to rely on the demonstration motion detector or even no motion detector, this is a game-changer! Thanks to Chris from Nerd Island Studios/SimBucket for helping us out.
July 23, 2024
Request a Quote, Request a Demo, Webinars, Surveys and Newsletters
The 2024-2025 School season is upon us, and we're taking some time to optimize our ordering processes. Currently Downloads and Task Tracker subscriptions are in two separate systems, but our new invoicing system can processes joint orders. A
Request a Quote form has been created to allow you to order both together. For those interested in Task Tracker and haven't used it before, the
Request a Demo form has now been created as well. We are also starting
training webinars you can sign up for and gathering user feedback with
surveys on future features. You can sign up for the
Newsletter to get email notifications when new webinars, surveys, or deals occur.
July 12, 2024
Conceptual Physics Course - Waves and Sound Unit and Light and Color Unit
We have completed an eighth and ninth unit for our Conceptual Physics Pre-Built Course. The units are titled Waves and Sound and Light and Color. We have 12 units planned. Once we complete our third and final course, we have some documentation to put together. We are still on target for completion by August 1, in time for the upcoming subscription season.
July 11, 2024
Task Tracker Feature Update
We have uploaded the final Task Tracker code-base for our pre-built courses. All that is left on this project is the addition of the content. This includes all the units for all the courses along with Lesson Plans and Learning Outcomes. We have this content completed for two of our three courses - On-Level Physics (Algebra-Based) and Honors Physics. We have the Conceptual Physics course let to complete. Teachers with Task Tracker accounts can experiment by creating a class as a clone of one of our pre-built courses. Once cloned, you will notice how you can edit a task (date info and scoring), remove a task from the course, and add tasks to the course in the usual manner. It's a ready-to-use course with complete flexibility. Leave us a comment on the
Contact page and let us know what you think.
July 10, 2024
Conceptual Physics Course - Electrostatics and Circuits Units
We have completed a sixth and seventh unit for our Conceptual Physics Pre-Built Course. The units are titled Static Electricity and Electric Circuits. We have 12 units planned. We should be done before the start of the new subscription year (August 1).
July 9, 2024
Task Tracker Feature Update
Task Tracker users know that an Assignment Board can get full pretty quickly. Use 5 to 10 to 20 assignments each unit and they build at an enormous rate. We've implemented a number of improvements over the past year to help manage the organization of assignments on Teacher pages. Our latest update includes relief for students' assignment boards. There are now a set of filters that allow them to view only those assignments for a particular topic (1D Kinematics, Momentum and Collisions, etc.) and/or assignments of a particular type (Concept Builders, CalcPad, etc.). Additionally, when viewing assignments in Grid View, they can sort them based on Due Date, Status (Over Due, Closed, Due Soon, Etc.), topic, or type. So if you're a teacher, go ahead and load up the assignments because students have plenty of tools to manage them by.
July 8, 2024
Conceptual Physics Course - Momentum and Energy Units
We have completed a fourth and fifth unit for our Conceptual Physics Pre-Built Course. The units are titled Momentum and Collisions and Work and Energy. Our Conceptual Physics course is a bit of a departure from our other two courses -
On-Level Physics and
Honors Physics. Our CalcPad problems are fewer and the problems are quite different. And we have referenced Think Sheets and Labs that are currently non-existent on the site. We will be preparing a Conceptual Physics Course Pack for this course with hopes of having it fully available by August of 2025. Until then, teachers will need to rely on our abbreviated notes and descriptions of such content or devise their own labs and Think Sheets.
July 5, 2024
Conceptual Physics Course - Free Fall and Projectile Motion
We have completed a third unit for our Conceptual Physics Pre-Built Course. The unit is titled Free Fall and Projectile Motion and takes a considerably different approach to the mathematics associated with projectile motion. Those who think that the absence of algebra would ruin a Physics course should take a look at what we have done with our Projectile unit of Conceptual Physics. As we explain on our
Teacher Notes page, students manipulate data and graphs to solve problems instead of manipulating equations. And the punch-line is: it probably takes a whole lot more physics understanding to solve a problem this way than it does to manipulate a physics equation. Check it out!
July 3, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Conceptual Physics
Construction of our third pre-built course has begun. We have uploaded two of our planned 12 units for a Conceptual Physics course. We are particularly excited about this as our developer has a wealth of experience teaching Conceptual Physics to grade 11 and 12 students with low-level math and reading skills. Conceptual Physics is designed to present physics concepts with a gentle exposure to the mathematics. Numbers and numerical patterns will be abundantly present in the class; algebraic manipulation of equations will be very rare (and where present, straightforward) and trigonometry will be absent.
All units will include lesson plans, lab ideas, teacher notes, and learning outcomes with associated activities. The Lesson Plans link to simulations and their Concept Checkers, Minds On Physics missions, Concept Builders, customized CalcPad problem sets (some of which will have newly-created problems made specific for this course), and Science Reasoning Center activities (NGSS). As we always say, ANY PHYSICS TEACHER CAN USE THESE. But for Task Tracker users, we are also packaging all of this together into a Pre-Built Course which can be cloned and used by your class. Once cloned, a teacher can easily modify the collection by adding or removing assignments and changing the pre-set scoring. Other than that, all a teacher needs to do is to simply change the dates so they display on students' assignment board. Check it out
here.
July 2, 2024
New Task Tracker Feature
Hey Task Tracker teachers! You'll going to love this. Now you can assign a task to a single student or a select set of students. Imagine the possibilities. Here's just one: Take a Minds On Physics mission (or two or three) or a CalcPad problem set (or both) and assign it to those students who have indicated an interest in re-taking a test. Once the work is complete, the student qualifies for a test retake.
July 1, 2024
New Contact and Privacy Forms
To facilitate easier modes of communication, the email address images/links have been replaced with a Contact and Privacy form, which will help direct your questions, suggestions, bugs, support, and other inquiries better.
June, 2024
June 28, 2024
Momentum Tutorial: Collisions in Two-Dimensions, Lesson 3, Part C
We have completed the third page of three for Lesson 3 in our Momentum and Collisions chapter of the Tutorial. The page provides a relatively in-depth analysis of glancing collisions with thorough mathematical solutions. Several examples are shown.
June 26, 2024
Momentum Tutorial: Collisions in Two-Dimensions, Lesson 3, Part B
We have completed the second page of three for Lesson 3 in our Momentum and Collisions chapter of the Tutorial. The page provides a relatively in-depth analysis of Hit-and-Stick, Right Angle collisions. Several examples are shown with thorough solutions accompanied by informative vector addition diagrams. The Check Your Understanding section contains several conceptual questions that have an AP Physics 1 flavor to them.
June 25, 2024
Momentum Tutorial: Collisions in Two-Dimensions, Lesson 3, Part A
We have a project that was started several years ago and somehow was dropped. It's Lesson 3 in our Momentum and Collisions chapter of the Tutorial. After writing the pre-built course for Honors Physics (see below), we decided that maybe its time to finish Lesson 3 on two-dimensional collisions. The Lesson was inadvertantly published in an unfinished state within the last year, but now it is time to finish it. And so we have completed the first of three pages. The rest will be coming out over the course of the next week.
June 24, 2024
Lab Equipment Concept Builder
We just released a new Chemistry Concept Builder titled Lab Equipment. Students identify common pieces of lab equipment and identify their purpose. There is also an emphasis upon the use of saftey goggles. This is the first of three Concept Builders planned for release before August 1 that pertain to lab equipment, procedures, and safety in the Chemistry lab.
June 20, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
Done!!! All 14 of 14 units have been completed and uploaded to the live server. That gives us two complete courses-worth of Lesson and Unit plans with links to relevant resources and teacher guides for accompanying labs. Along with what is visible
here, we also have corresponding Task Tracker courses that can be cloned by Task Tracker users when they set up their classes. This provides them with a collection of nearly-ready Task Tracker assignments. All that needs to be done with these assignments is to fill out a short form that indicates when you wish them to be visible, when you wish them to be due, and how you want us to grade them.
June 19, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
We are getting closer to the end of our Honors Physics pre-built course. We have added two additional units to our
Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and Pre-Built Courses section of the website. The Vibrations, Waves, and Sount unit and the Light and Color unit are now complete. That gives us 12 of 14 units done; we should finish this week. Check it out
here.
June 17, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
We have added three additional units to our Honors Physics course in the
Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and Pre-Built Courses section of the website. Circular and Satellite Motion, Static Electricity, and Electric Circuits are now complete. That gives us 10 of 14 units done; we should finish this week. For each unit we create, there are four pages
- a page with a Unit Plan (and Lesson Plans),
- a page that lists topic, learning outcome, and activities (of all types, like readings, videos, labs, problem sets, simulations, Concept Builders, MOP missions, etc.),
- a page with a description of the lab and links to Teacher Guides for each lab, and
- a Teacher Notes page.
Check it out
here. In addition to the above (which is all freely available), teachers with a Task Tracker subscription will have the ability to clone the Pre-Built Course to their class. That places the collection of assignments in their class. They can then use our Mass Date Change function to set visibility dates and due dates for each assignment and the set up scoring rules for how you would like Task Tracker to score the assignment. Teachers have full control over the course; they can remove assignments (or simply ignore them) they don't want and add assignments not included in the pre-built course.
June 13, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
We have added two additional units to our Honors Physics course in the
Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and Pre-Built Courses section of the website. Momentum and Collisions and Work, Energy, and Power are now complete. That gives us 7 of 14 units done; we will likely be finishing up in the next week. Each unit includes lesson plans, lab ideas, teacher notes, and learning outcomes with associated activities. Check it out
here.
June 11, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
We have added two additional units to our Honors Physics course in the
Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and Pre-Built Courses section of the website. Vectors and Projectiles and Forces in Two Dimensions are now complete. We have now completed five of what will eventually be 14 units. These units include lesson plans, lab ideas, teacher notes, and learning outcomes with associated activities. Check it out
here.
June 10, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Honors Physics
Construction of our second pre-built course has begun. We have uploaded the first three units of our Honors Physics course into our
Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and Pre-Built Courses section of the website. There will eventually be 14 units available. These units include lesson plans, lab ideas, teacher notes, and learning outcomes with associated activities. Any teacher can use these. The Lesson Plans link to Curriculum Corner think sheets, simulations and their Concept Checkers, Minds On Physics missions, Concept Builders, customized CalcPad problem sets, Science Reasoning Center activities (NGSS), and the Review Session. ANY PHYSICS TEACHER CAN USE THESE. But for Task Tracker users, we are also packaging all of this together into a Pre-Built Course which can be cloned and used by your class. Once cloned, a teacher can easily modify the collection by adding or removing assignments and changing the set scoring. Other than that, all a teacher needs to do is to simply change the dates so they display on students' assignment board. Check it out
here.
June 5, 2024
Science Reasoning Center - Chemical Reactions
We have released a new Science Reasoning Center activity titled Chemical Reactions. The focus of the activity is utilizing the Periodic Table to predict the products of a simple reaction using an understanding of the outer shell electrons and their effect upon an element's chemistry. The activity includes 5 highly interactive parts and aligns very closely with NGSS performance expectation HS-PS1-2. This completes our goal of addressing all NGSS Chemistry topics.
June 4, 2024
Modeling Roller Coasters Science Reasoning Activity - Update
Probably our most sophisticated Science Reasoning Activity is the Modeling Roller Coasters activity. One of the questions involved a paragraph-completion exercise. A collection of Tap Me! buttons are overlaid on top of a graphic of a paragraph with some missing words and phrases. Users tap on the buttons to select words and phrases from a bank in order to complete the paragraph. The Tap Me! buttons were not aligned with the blanks and caused some significant problems. The error has been fixed. An answer key error on a Ranking Tasks activity was also fixed. Version 1.2 contains the fixes.
May, 2024
May 29, 2024
NEW Task Tracker Feature - Co-Teacher Access
Hey Task Tracker teachers. We've been longing for this feature for some time and now it's finally here. Now a teacher can sign on a second teacher to their class with co-teacher access. The Co-Teacher can access scores, modify assignments (due dates, scoring rules, discarded question groups, etc.), clone assignments, customize the personal progress of students, etc. Task Tracker keeps getting better ... and we're not done.
May 28, 2024
NEW Task Tracker Feature - Late Submission Notifications
Hey Task Tracker teachers. Here's an awesome feature for you. Suppose you make a task, you set a due date, and you allow late submissions. The due date arrives and you export your scores and import them into your gradebook. Then three weeks later, a student completes the same task but you have the original score of 0 in the gradebook because ... well you have a life and you don't check all 83 Task Tracker assignments each day to see if any late work has been completed. And now you don't have to. We will do it for you. Simply tap the pencil icon next to your class on the Classes page and tap the check box labeled Receive Student Late Submission Notifications. We will check every morning around 5 AM CST and email you a notification about any late work completed in the past 24 hours. The notification will make that first cup of coffee taste so much better.
May 24, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses with Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
We have completed and uploaded the Teacher Notes pages for all 14 units of our Algebra-Based Physics course in our new Lesson Plans section. We are almost done with the course. We have some documentation to complete, some Task Tracker directions for the Pre-Built Course, and some final checks to complete. We should be done next week.
May 21, 2024
Update: Spring Quiz Interactive
We went live with the Spring Quiz Interactive last week. Today we made a small update, primarily to improve functionality on tablets and touch devices. Some other adjustments were also made.
May 20, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Bond Energy and Reactions
We have completed another NGSS-aligned activity for our Science Reasoning Center. This activity is suitable for a Chemistry class. It pertains to chemical reactions and energy changes. An emphasis is placed upon a comparison of the relative bond energies of reactants and products and the direction that energy flows between the system and the surroundings.
May 17, 2024
Spring Quiz Interactive
We have a new Interactive out today titled Spring Quiz. Spring Quiz provides students an opportunity to conduct a structured analysis of the vibrational motion of a mass on a spring. Students are guided through the analysis using kinematics, Newton's Laws, and energy principles to determine 34 numerical values describing the mass at three different locations - its equilibrium position, and its highest and lowest positions. Feedback to answers are immediate and opportunities for correction of answers is offered. Thanks to Physics Teacher Martin Kirby who has allowed us to offer this simulation in our collection.
May 16, 2024
We updated two Concept Builders today. They are:
Elemental Measures Concept Builder: We fixed an answer key error and enlarged the error allowance. We typically honor student answers as correct if they are within 2% of the keyed answer. For small numerical answers, this is not much error allowance. We provided a different routine for error allowance for small numbers. Version 2.2.1 has the fix.
Mass Stoichiometry Concept Builder: We fixed an answer key error and enlarged the error allowance. Version 2.2.1 has the fix.
May 14, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses with Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
We have completed and uploaded all the Lab pages and accompanying Teacher's Guides for our Algebra-Based Physics course in our new Lesson Plans section.
May 13, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses with Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
We have once more updated our Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides and Pre-Built Task Tracker courses. Our Lesson Plans pages and Objectives and Activities pages have been completed for all 14 units of the Algebra-Based Physics class. We have also updated our Pre-Built Task Tracker classes for all 14 units. We have the Lab pages, the Teacher Guides for the 14 units left to complete. And we have some auxilliary pages to add to the Pre-Built Task Tracker courses and the the Lesson Plan section. We are still optimistic about completing the Algebra-Based Physics class by the end of May.
May 10, 2024
Friday Fix It Day
It's always easier to do it right the first time. But it is always possible to fix it when you don't. There were several fixes this past week. Here they are:
- Concept Builder: Name That Harmonic - Closed End Air Columns
The teacher preview PDF of this Concept Builder did not include the actual questions in the student version. The PDF has been corrected. The actual Concept Builder did not require any changes.
- Concept Checker: Exploding Carts
One of the questions in this Concept Builder included text referring to the ratio of the blue to red cart's velocity. But a graphic label showed the ratio of the red to blue cart's velocity. The graphic has been fixed. Version 1.1 has the fix.
- Concept Builder: LOL Charts
There is one less typo at The Physics Classroom. A question defined the system as the puck and floor for a question describing "a puck sliding across frozen ice". Version 2.2.3 has the fix.
- Science Reasoning Center: Carts, Bricks, and Bands
There was an answer key error for a question in the Planning the Investigation activity. It has been fixed. Version 1.1 has the fix.
- Concept Builder: Electric Current
There was a potential ambiguity in the third activity - Law Breakers. We have added a clarifying statement to help short-circuit the ambiguity. Version 2.2.1 has the fix.
As we like to say: If you see something, say something. And that includes letting us know if you see an error on the site. When we get a report, we start in on the fixing. We always appreciate your help. Our email can be found near the bottom of the About page.
May 9, 2024
Electromagnet Simulation
We have added a new simulation to our Physics Interactives section. The Electromagnet Interactive allows a learner to explore what is required to make an electromagnet and what makes an electromagnet a stronger magnet. Users can add and remove an iron core, adjust the number of batteries used in the circuit, change the number of loops in the coiled wire, and change the radius of the loops. This is our fourth sim in the Electricity and Magnetism section ... a section which only a few months ago had 1 sim. There's more to come!
May 8, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses with Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
We have updated our Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides and Pre-Built Task Tracker courses. We now have Lesson Plans for 12 of 14 units, a packaged course with 12 units worth of assignments (2 more to go), and Objectives and Activities pages completed for 7 of the 14 units. Objectives and Activities page lists all the objectives (and mini-topics) for the unit and lists the corresponding activities for each objective, listed according to type. Types include Readings, Videos, Labs, Think Sheets, Problem Sets, Concept Builders, Minds On Physics missions, and Simulations with Concept Checkers. We are on pace to finish this up by the end of May.
May 7, 2024
Pre-Built Task Tracker Courses with Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
We have uploaded a large batch of files to support our latest two projects - our Pre-Built Task Tracker Classes project and our Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides project. These two projects coordinate with one another. The Task Tracker Courses allow Task Tracker users to clone a pre-built class (with a collection of tasks that are ready to use) and then have the option to customize them to their liking. The Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides provide a concrete illustration of how to use the variety of features on our website when designing the curriculum for a course. The lesson plans for the first 11 of 14 units of the Algebra-Based Physics Course are ready to preview.
May 3, 2024
NEW Task Tracker Feature
We have added a new Task Tracker feature to protect subscriptions against unintended student additions that use up seats. Now a teacher can disable Student Registration at any point in time. By visiting Class Settings, a teacher can turn off Student Registration via a Class Sign-Up Code. If a student attempts to register for a class that has had this feature disabled, they will be told to contact their teacher. The teacher can still register the student if needed or momentarily turn Student Registration back on. This is one of several features we are (and have been) adding to Task Tracker since the advent of Version 2. Next up: Co-Teacher Access (a frequent teacher request); wish us luck with this one.
Friday Fix It Day
It's Friday and that's the day to report the collection of fixes that have been recently uploaded. Here goes ...
- Tutorial: Work, Energy, and Power Chapter, Lesson 2d, Problem #9, Part H. We have fixed an answer error; the previous answer was based on incorrect toatl
- The Calculator Pad, Work and Energy, Problem Set 9, Problem 3: There's one less spelling error at The Physics Classroom; 99,999 more to go.
- The Calculator Pad, Work and Energy, Problem Set 12, Problem 1: A graphic that was rotated counter-clockwise at 90° has been re-aligned.
- Circular Logic Concept Builder: we fixed an odd interface error in which Questoin #4 of the Progress Report panel did not display a red or yellow background. Version 2.2.1 has the fix.
- Conductors and Insulators Concept Builder: we fixed the link from the landing page to the Teacher Preview version of the questions.
- Being Impulsive About Momentum Concept Builder: One question in the Wizard level had two answers. it has been fixed so that there is only one answer. Version 2.2.3 has the fix.
- Task Tracker: an odd bug that caused a very occassional fail of our Simple Progress Export function was fixed and is now live on the site.
As we like to say: If you see something, say something. And that includes letting us know if you see an error on the site. When we get a report, we start in on the fixing. We always appreciate your help.
May 2, 2024
Pre-Built Course: Algebra-Based Physics
Our first pre-built course is taking shape. We have completed and uploaded the first seven of 15 units. This includes Lesson Plans that any teacher can use. The Lesson Plans link to Curriculum Corner think sheets, simulations and their Concept Checkers, Minds On Physics missions, Concept Builders, customized CalcPad problem sets, Science Reasoning Center activities (NGSS), and the Review Session. ANY PHYSICS TEACHER CAN USE THESE. But for Task Tracker users, we are also packaging all of this together into a Pre-Built Course which can be cloned and used by your class. Once cloned, a teacher can easily modify the collection by adding or removing assignments and changing the set scoring. Other than that, all a teacher needs to do is to simply change the dates so they display on students' assignment board. Check it out
here.
May 1, 2024
New Project: Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides
About this time every year, we begin a new project. It is usually a large project with the intent of providing a new section of the website in time for the upcoming school year. Construction has begun on our Lesson Plans and Pacing Guides. You can learn about this new section by tapping the link above. Most of this section will be released as it is created. There will be a Task Tracker component to it that will be released on a less regular basis (we think). Part of the project involves building Pre-Built Courses that can be cloned and subsequently modified by Task Tracker users. This means that when a teacher (or teachers) purchase a Task Tracker account, they can begin with a collection of assignments already set up by cloning one of our Pre-Built Courses. Once cloned, they can be easily modified by adding or removing assignments.
April, 2024
April 30, 2024
Update: Sound Spectrum Viewer Interactive
We have updated our Sound Spectrum Viewer Interactive. Sound Spectrum Viewer is a tool for analyzing a complex sound over the course of time. The original release had the ability to produce a spectrogram display. The new release adds the ability to view a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the complex sound. Teachers and students how have a tool to conduct an analysis of any complex sound imaginable without the need (and cost) of sophisticated interface boxes and probeware.
April 29, 2024
New Simulation - Bar Magnets Simulation
The Bar Magnets Interactive allows a learner to experiment with a collection of six bar magnets. Observe their attractions and repulsions and the magnetic field lines that they produce in the surroundings. This Interactive is the first of a medley of four simulations designed to lead students towards an understanding of how an electromagnet works.
April 26, 2024
Student Activity Sheet for the Photoelectric Effect Simulation
We uploaded the Photoelectric Effect simulation earlier this week. Today we have uploaded a Student Activity for use with the simulation. Teachers are encouraged to download it and use it with their classes. Do you do NGSS? You'll find great alignment between our activity and HS-PS4-3. (Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.)
April 25, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Nuclear Chemistry
We have completed another Science Reasoning Center activity on the topic of nuclear chemistry. This NGSS-inspired task consists of five parts. Each of the five parts place an emphasis upon a model for nuclear decay, nucelar fission, or nuclear fusion. The activity aligns with the HS-PS1-8 performance expectation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
April 24, 2024
Sound Spectrum Viewer Interactive
We have released a new Interactive for our Physics Interactives section. It is titled Sound Spectrum Viewer. This Interactive provides a tool for recording sound from the surroundings and displaying a spectrogram of that sound. The spectrogram displays the frequencies and their amplitudes in real time. While the Interactive was designed for use with our
Data Transmission Interactive, we believe it has widespread use and can serve as a particularly useful tool to support students conducting project work associated with acoustics.
April 23, 2024
New Simulation - Photoeletric Effect Simulation
We have made another new simulation available today on the topic of the photoelectric effect. This is the first simulation for a new section titled Atomic Physics. The photoelectric effect includes two parts - an investigation of the Hertz experiment that ultimately led to the photon model of light AND an investigation of what was predicted by the wave model of light.
April 22, 2024
New Simulation - Polarization by Reflection
This very short simulation is perfect for demonstrating the effect of a Polaroid filter upon a photographic scene. It includes a link at the top to our Tutorial page.
April 19, 2024
Friday Fix It Day
It wouldn't be a profitable week if we didn't throw a few fixes and repairs up on the site. Here's some items that received a recent makeover:
As we like to say: If you see something, say something. And that includes letting us know if you see an error on the site. When we get a report, we start in on the fixing. We always appreciate your help.
April 18, 2024
Concept Builder: Solids, Liquids, and Gases - Intermolecular Forces
We have added a new Concept Builder to our Chemistry collection on the topic of Intermolecular Forces. The Concept Builder includes three terrific conceptual reasoning activities on London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding. We now have 71 really good reasons for Chemistry teachers to love our Concept Builders section!
April 17, 2024
Task Tracker Update: Simple Progress Export
We have pushed an updated and improved Task Tracker feature to the live server this morning. Those Task Tracker teachers who rely on the export of student scores will love this one. The export is now in a CSV format that will behave friendlier with gradebook programs. The goal was to produce a CSV file that could be easily imported into an electronic gradebook. Furthermore, you can choose exactly what tasks you wish to be exported. Finally, if you had an interest of aggregated several tasks into a single gradebook entry, we have provided a summative score for all exported tasks. So if you just wish to enter one score for all Kinematics Concept Builders, then it is quite easy to do.
April 16, 2024
New Simulation - Data Transmission
How do devices use waves to transmit and receive information? Use our Data Transmission simulation to experiment with data transmission. Grab two devices, open the simulation on each decice, and start communicating with one another. It is part of our continuing effort to support teachers and classrooms devoted to the NGSS performane expectations. This interactive can be used in support of HS-PS4-2 and HS-PS4-5.
April 12, 2024
Friday Fix Day ... Again
It's never fun to clean up your messes. But sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and start cleaning up. There have been several fixes the past couple of days. Here they are:
As we like to say: If you see something, say something. And that includes letting us know if you see an error on the site. We get them fixed and we appreciate every bit of help we get. All the above were user-initiated. Thanks ya'll!
April 11, 2024
New Simulation - Venturi Effect
Thanks to the efforts of Physics Teacher Martin Kirby, we have another Fluids simulation. This simulation demonstrates the Venturi effect and highlights the mathematics of the phenomenon. Students can narrow a region of a horizontal pipe and observe the effect upon the fluid velocity and pressure at that location.
April 10, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Melting Points and Boiling Points
Surely and steadily the "Chemistry" section of our Science Reasoning Center is beginning to fill out. We have added on more activity on the topic of Melting Points and Boiling Points. Like the update from two days ago, this activity addresses the HS-PS1-3 performance expectation of the Next Generation Science Standards. We anticipate that it is an activity that may have greater value to Honors Level and advance classes than to Regular Level or on-level classes. But whatever you teach, check it out and see if any or all of its parts meet your needs.
April 9, 2024
Fluids Simulations - A Cool Update
Our
Continuity Equation and
Bernoulli's Equation simulations have just been updated. They now include streamlines and toggels to hide/show equations and other pertinent data. Thanks to Physics Teacher Martin Kirby who continues to update and improve these simulations.
April 8, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Intermolecular Forces
Chemistry teachers will be excited about our newest Science Reasoning Center activity. This NGSS-inspired task consists of five parts. Each of the five parts place an emphasis upon the planning of an investigation and the analysis of the results. The investigations pertain to bulk scale properties of substances and the relationship of those properties to the strength of the intermolecular forces between particles of those substances. The activity aligns with the HS-PS1-3 performance expectation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
April 5, 2024
Task Tracker and Other Site Updates
A number of updates went live today. They are:
- Task Tracker: the New Task page can display returned search results with a lengthy list of tasks. Those tasks are now sort-able by Task Category, Task Type, and Task Name, making the task of finding your Task considerably easier.
- Task Tracker: our Mass Date Change function has been updated. The Mass Date Change feature has been available for about two months. Here's how it worked: teachers select the tasks, tap on the Date Change button, and then enter dates for Date First Visible, Due Date, and Date Last Visible. All selected tasks receive these dates. Now there is an added feature; after assigning dates to all selected tasks, you can quickly do a date override for individual tasks so as to quickly customize the date for that assigned task. This features saves lots of time for teachers because now they can change dates for multiple tasks from one screen without having to open/change dates/close all the tasks individually. Task Tracker keeps getting better!
- The Calculator Pad: those Task Tracker teachers who use CalcPad to write their own problems are likely familiar with the Symbols drop-down menu of the Rich Text Editor. The drop down allows you to select a symbol for insertion into your problem statement. Add a mu or a delta or a lambda or several other symbols by selecting it from the menu. Now you have three more to choose from - lower case sigma, lower case rho, and infinity. More symbols means more phun for you!
- Changes to Site Templates: we made some subtle changes across the site to background colors, link colors, nav column text colors, and header image colors that brought us into closer alignment with accessibility standards. Our Lighthouse accessibility score rose about 15 points to a 96 as a result of the changes. Those in the web accessibility world know that a 15-point increase to 96 is huge. Kudos to the programmers!
April 4, 2024
Match That Bar Chart Concept Builder
This is actually an update ... but a rather involved one. The Match That Bar Chart Concept Builder has been around for several years. The Wizard Difficulty Level included horizontal bar charts with different colors to represent different energy storage modes. Unfortunately our choice of colors was not the wisest. We have updated all graphics in this Difficulty Level to include visually-friendly colors. That's about 120 different graphics to recreate and test. We also updated the Help function for the entire Concept Builder as the previous version did not match the actual questions. Match That Bar Chart is now working well and looking good for all. Version 2.2 has the fix.
April 3, 2024
Update to the Continuity Equation Simulation
We have published an update to our Continuity Equation simulation. The main improvement is that we have added an equation to the top of the simulation. Values in the equation change as the simulation variables are manipulated.
April 2, 2024
Concept Builder: Stoichiometry - Mass Stoichiometry
We have added a new Concept Builder to our Chemistry collection on the topic of Mass Stoichiometry. It involves three difficulty levels with lots of great practice and immediate feedback. This brings our total number of Chemistry Concept Builders to 70!
April 1, 2024
Seat and Cost Calculator for 2024-25
We have updated our Seat and Cost Calculator for 2024-25. While there have been no price changes, we did update the interface. For many schools, it is time to plan budgets and place orders. Please use our
Calculator to assist in your planning.
March, 2024
March 29, 2024
Friday Fix-It Day
There's been several fixes over the past several days. Here's a few of them:
- It's All Uphill Concept Checker: The Help Me! links were broken. The fix is live with Version 1.0.2.
- It's All Uphill Simulation: There's one less spelling error at The Physics Classroom. 9999 more to find.
- The Calculator Pad, Stoichiometry Chapter: Question 5 on Problem Set 11 includes a table. One of the columns had incorrect units. It's been corrected.
- LOL Charts Concept Builder: Two Wizard Level questions about an elevator have been replaced by two better examples in order to avoid some ambiguities. Version 2.2.2 contains the fix.
- Pascal's Principle Concept Builder: Most Concept Builders have a script which scans the list of available questions and when the list empties out the script replaces the list with a fresh set of questions. That script was missing the replacement list and so students who missed multiple questions would eventually reach a dead end. Lucky for them, it's fixed. Version 2.2.1 contains the fix.
It's worth saying: If you see something, say something. And that includes letting us know if you see an error on the site. We get them fixed and we appreciate every bit of help we get. All the above were user-initiated. Thanks ya'll!
March 28, 2024
Bernoulli's Equation Simulation
Thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby, we now have two simulations in the Fluids section of our Physics Interactives. Today's addition is titled Bernoulli's Equation simulation. Like last week's
Continuity Equation simulation, this sim explores the interdependencies of the variables found in the Bernoulli equation. Students can quickly change a height or tube radius and view the effect upon pressure.
March 27, 2024
Angular Acceleration Concept Checker
We released a new
Angular Acceleration Simulation near the end of last week. We now have a Student Activity Sheet AND a Concept Checker that coordinates with the simulation. The Concept Checker consists of 9 Question Groups that are closely aligned with the
Student Activity Sheet. This triad of tools - simulation, Activity Sheet, and Concept Checker - are waiting to become the centerpiece of a great lesson plan.
March 26, 2024
Concept Builder: Stoichiometry - Law Breakers
Another Chemistry resource went live today. Like recent additions, this one pertains to stoichiometry. The focus is on the use of conversion factors to solve problems. There are no numerical answers. There are no calculations. It is 100% conversion factors. Students must identify correct and incorrect sets of conversion factors for solving for an unknown quantity. Not a chemistry teacher? Help us out. Tell someone who is. They will thank you for it ... and so will we.
March 25, 2024
Angular Acceleration Simulation - Student Activity Sheet
We released a new
Angular Acceleration Simulation near the end of last week. We now have a Student Activity Sheet available for use of the simulation. Student Activity Sheets can be freely downloaded and used with students. They provide some structure for working through the simulation, guiding students towards some end objective.
March 22, 2024
Concept Builder: Limiting Reactants
Hey Chemistry teachers! We have another Concept Builder for you. You know how difficult it is for students to learn limiting reactant problems. Don't give up. We have some help for you. This Concept Builder takes a developmental approach to the topic of limiting and excess reactants. Utilizing some powerful graphic organizers, students perform limiting reactant stoichiometry with both mole quantities and mass quantities. Help students grow out of their
training wheels with our Concept Builder. Then you can prepare them for more difficult stoichiometric word problems. (And we have those too; you'll find them
here.)
March 21, 2024
Angular Acceleration Simulation
We have a new simulation in our Physics Interactives section titled Angular Acceleration. Students explore the effect of spindle radius, hanging mass, and the number of platters upon the angular acceleration of a rotating system.
March 20, 2024
Concept Builder: Elemental Measures
Chemistry teachers have a new Concept Builder to enjoy. Elemental Measures (a.k.a. Stoikheion-metry) takes and atom- and mass-conservation approach to the topic of chemical reactions and stoichiometry. Given a balanced equation, students count the # of atoms of each element on the reactant and product side. Then they determine the mass (on a per mole basis) of each element involved in the reaction. And finally, they answer two sense-making questions. The activity has three difficulty levels with each level including three problems.
March 19, 2024
New Simulation - The Continuity Equation
We are gearing up for the introduction of the topic of Fluids into AP Physics 1 during the 2024-25 school year. CalcPad problem sets and Concept Builders on the topic of Fluids were added in 2023. And now we have our first simulation on the topic of the Continuity Equation. It's super quick and clean and right to the point. It's perfect for any course that covers fluids. Special thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby for donating this to our collection.
March 18, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Stoichiometry
Our newest Science Reasoning Center activity is now live. It is titled Stoichiometry and may represent a bit of a departure from the usual "here's the given, solve for an unknown" approach. Students will definitely be doing stoichiometric conversions but the calculated answer is not the end in itself. The goal of the math is to demonstrate in one way or another that atoms, and therefore mass is conserved in a chemical reaction. This five-part activity addresses performance expectation HS-PS1-7 of the Next Generation Science Standards. Check it out Chemistry teachers!
March 15, 2024
Physics Interactives - Ripple Tank Simulator
Tired of fussing with the ripple tank? Now you don't have to. Try our new Ripple Tank simulator.
March 14, 2024
Physics Interactives - 3D Field Mapping Student Activity
As is our custom, we have published a Student Activity sheet for use with our 3D Field Mapping simulation. The activity sheet provides students a guided experience with the simulation and is intended to highlight the relationship between electric field and electric potential.
March 12, 2024
Physics Interactives - 3D Field Mapping
A little dose of groovy (maybe even a big dose ... but who wants to over-state something) arrived at The Physics Classroom today. Check our our new simulation titled 3D Field Mapping. Drag a source charge (or a whole bunch of source charges) onto the work space. Electric lines of force and electric fields lines are plotted. The electric potential in the surrounding space is depicted in color and a "volt meter" allows you to measure the electric potential at any location. Then put on your Groovy cap and tap on the Go to 3D View. Now you don't have to Google "meaning of groovy"; you're looking at the definition of it when you view the 3-dimensional electric potential map. A student exercise is being written. Thanks to Chris Bruce of Nerd Island Studios for the sim.
March 11, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: Reaction Rates
We continue to make strides towards "completion" of our Science Reasoning Center. One of our goals is to provide reasonably full coverage of the Next Generation Science Standards. We are currently working on HS-PS1 performance expectations. Most teachers equate these topics with Chemistry. We have released a new activity on the topic of Reaction Rates that addresses HS-PS1-5. Check it out Chemistry teachers!
March 8, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
There have been a few more Version 2 upgrades to Task Tracker. Task Tracker users will now note that there are three Quick Navigation links on every Class page that allow you to navigate from your Period 1 Physics class (as a for instance) directly to your Period 2 Physics class. We saved you a click; your time is important. And we have added some hyperlinks from the names of tasks as they display on your Task Table to the actual task. Not sure what the task involves? Tap the link and quickly find out. And we have done the same thing for Task names that display in returned search results when searching for tasks to make assignments out of.
Not using Version 2? It's probably time to switch over. It's perfectly safe and very stable.
March 7, 2024
The Store is Open for 2024-25 Purchases
Many schools are working on budgets for 2024-25. Others have asked to place orders early so that they can use a stash of cash that has a deadline associated with. So we have opened the Store to make orders for the 2024-25 subscription years. If you need to place an order for a Task Tracker subscription for the upcoming school year, you can now do so. When you place the order, you must tap a radio button to indicate which year the purchase is for.
March 6, 2024
Science Reasoning Center: The Ammonia Factory
Hey Chemistry Teachers! We have a new resource for you in our Science Reasoning Center. It is named the Ammonia Factory and its pretty awesome (admittedly, our own opinion). It coordinates with our
Ammonia Factory Simulation that we released last week. This new Science Reasoning Center activity aligns with HS-PS1-6 and HS-ETS1-4 performance expectations of the NGSS. This is our fourth Chemistry activity in the Science Reasoning Center and we definitely have more planed for the next few months.
March 5, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
Task Tracker teachers will appreciate today's Version 2 update. For some time, teachers have been able to tap on a students name in their class roster and view that student's Personal Progress page. It is a useful means to get info for a single student and to customize or over-ride scores or due dates. The page can become a bit of a mess, especially when there are a lot of assignments. The mess has now been tidied up and a collection of new features allow you to find what you need quickly! You will note three filters at the top of the Personal Progress table - a Category (topic) filter, a Task Type filter, and a Task Name filter. These allow you to isolate a select number of tasks from a large collection. In addition to filters, we've added the capability to quickly sort a lengthy list of tasks by tapping on column headings - by task name, by task type, by category (topic), by dye date, etc. - in ascending or descending order. For multi-part tasks, you can tap on the Show button to show details about the parts of that specific task. And finally, a tap on the task name opens that task (except for CalcPad tasks).
March 4, 2024
Hit the Target Simulation
Our Hit the Target simulation has been revised to include Task Tracker compatibility. Teachers with Task Tracker subscriptions can now include it as an assignment for their students. Students' work will be saved; they can leave the page, return, and continue where they left off. Teachers can customize the task by removing one or more of the nine problems so that they are not part of their students' experience. Students' progress and scores are viewable by teachers in Task Tracker. The Guest experience has not changed.
March 1, 2024
The Ammonia Factory Simulation - Student Activity Sheet
Teachers are busy. Exclamation point. We've been there. We get it. And years of experience has taught us that a simulation will be most used if it is accompanied by a student activity sheet. When the incorporation of the simulation into a teacher lesson plan is as turn-key as can be, that activity will be used. Yesterday, we published our first Chemistry simulation - The Ammonia Factory - and today we have published the Student Activity Sheet to accompany it. The simulation and accompanying activity sheet have a strong engineering design emphasis. Next week, we will have another goodie. Stay tuned.
Friday Fixes
We have done some site maintenance and repairs this week. The following changes/improvements/fixes have been made:
- Minds On Physics, Circular Motion, Mission CG1
Two questions in one of the Question Group were keyed incorrectly. The key has been fixed and corrections are now live. The questions pertainted to identifying the direction of the velocity vector at the 3-o'clock and the 6-o'clock positions on a diagram.
- Balance Beam Concept Checker
The help link for the Balance Beam Concept Checker was broken. This has been fixed. Version 1.1 has the fix.
- Reduction Potential Concept Builder
The Reduction Potential activity in the Chemistry section of Concept Builders referenced a Table of Standard Reduction Potentials. The link to it from several locations was broken. The link is now fixed and the corrections are live.
February, 2024
Febuary 29, 2024
The Ammonia Factory Simulation
We completed one of our first Chemistry Interactives - The Ammonia Factory. This simulation provides students an opportunity to run the operation of an ammonia production facility. They modify design parameters and observe the impact upon percent yield, ammonia production, and daily profits. The simulation and Student Activity Sheet (to be released very soon) align closely with a number of Next Generation Science Standards. These are described in great detail on the
Teacher Notes page.
Febuary 28, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
Hey all Task Tracker users. We have a new Version 2 update available. We are calling it "Mass Cloning" and it specifically addresses the need of teachers to create several assignments for one section and then quickly clone those assignments to other sections. On your Classes page, tap the checkboxes to the left of all assigned tasks that you wish to clone. Once one or more tasks are checked, the blue Mass Clone Selected Tasks will be enabled. Tap the button and a pop-up window appears. Select the destination classes (the classes to which you wish to clone the selected tasks). A green check and red X will appear next to each assigned task indicating if cloning is possible. (Cloning would be prohibited if the particular task already exists in the destination class or if the task type is not enabled for the particular class.) Once you are satisfied, tap on the Clone button and the selected tasks will be added to your other sections.
Task cloning has been around for a while. But "Quick" is the operative word that describes this new feature. Whereas the previous task cloning feature allowed one to clone a single task to a single class, this new feature allows you to clone multiple tasks to multiple classes. Quick is slick!
Febuary 23, 2024
Two Stage Rocket Simulation
Our Two-Stage Rocket simulation has been around for a while. The simulation provides a built-in "quiz" with 22 questions. For some time, we have wanted to add Task Tracker functionality to the quiz. This was difficult because it was written in a different code-base than most our other Task Tracker tools. We have completed a rewrite of the simulation and have added Task Tracker compatibility to the quiz. Teachers with Task Tracker accounts can customize the quiz by removing questions; see the Teacher Resources section for a listing of questions by question number.
Febuary 21, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
Task Tracker users have another
groovy feature awaiting them. Our Version 2 lists all assigned tasks for a class in a table on the Class page. Tapping on table columns will sort all tasks according to data in that column. So you can sort your tasks in ascending or descending order by Topic (e.g., Kinematics), by Task Type (e.g., Concept Builders), by Date First Visible, and by Due Date. You can also use the Topic filters and the Task Type filter to only display those tasks that match your filters. The problem has been that if you leave the page or close down the browser, you have to re-create your sorting and filtering when you return to the Class page.
That problem has now been solved. The sorts and filter features now have a
memory associated with them. When you return to the page, it will appear just as you left it. So if you're teaching electrostatics, you only need to display electrostatics tasks. And what's even "
groovier", is that you can have different settings saved for different classes. Let us hear everyone say "Groovy"!
NOTE: The settings you select for a class are stored in local storage for the browser you're working on. So switching browsers or switching devices will result in the need to re-create the settings for that combination of browser and device. It's a handy feature.
Febuary 15, 2024
Concept Builder - Bernoulli's Principle
We have completed our seventh Concept Builder on the topic of Fluids. The topic is Bernoulli's principle. The Concept Builder requires that students combine the use of Bernoulli's principle and the principle of continuity in order to analyze a variety of fluid flow phenomenon. There are 38 total questions that are organized into 16 different Question Groups and spread across three Activities. While we may do a final Concept Builder on viscosity at a later time, we are currently considering this topic to be complete.
Febuary 14, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
Version 2 of Task Tracker just got a little bit better today with a couple of updates:
- We added in two Quick Navigation buttons on every Task page. When viewing a task under a particular category, you can now navigate directly to other assigned tasks in that category. And you can navigate directly to the same task in other classes if that task has been assigned or navigate directly to the Class page for any existing class.
- Version 2 allows you to search for tasks by category (e.g., Newton's Laws category). Our category listing listed every category with Chemistry and Physics intermingled. We have now organized all the Physics categories into one grouping and all the Chemistry categories into a second grouping, making it a bit easier to find what you need. And as a heads-up, you can alway begin typing into the Category filter field (like "Newt...") and Task Tracker will begin filtering as you type.
We still have more goodies under development. Stop back next week to be amazed.
Febuary 13, 2024
Activity Sheet for Two-Point Source Interference Patterns Simulation
We have completed the Student Activity sheet for the Two-Point Source Interference Patterns simulation. The activity sheet provides guidance to students as they proceed through each part of the simulation.
Concept Checker for Two-Point Source Interference Patterns Simulation
In the past couple of years, we have been accompanying simulations with Concept Checkers. Our most recent simulation now has a companion Concept Checker. Do the sim with the activity sheet and follow it up wit a Concept Checker.
Febuary 12, 2024
Two-Point Source Interference Patterns Simulation
We have completed and uploaded a new simulation on the topic of two-point source interference patterns. The simulation consists of three parts:
- Tutorial: a built-in Tutorial explaining nodes, antinodes, the patterns of nodal and antinodal lines, wavelength, source separation distance, and path difference.
- DIY Patterns: students change the wavelength and the source separation distance and observe the effect upon the pattern.
- Path Difference: students collect data in an effort to derive from the data an equation relating the path difference to the wavelength for nodal and antinodal lines.
We will have a student activity sheet and a Concept Checker available for the simulation by the end of the week.
Febuary 8, 2024
Calculator Pad - Electromagnetism
We have completed our final five CalcPad problem sets for the topic of electromagnetism. This gives us a total of 12 problem sets and about 60 multi-part problems. The problems are geared for AP Physics 2 students and require an extensive analysis of each situation.
Febuary 7, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
Our Version 2 of Task Tracker gets near-daily attention. We are still fixing small bugs and oddities and implementing new features and improvements. The following was fixed today:
- Tapping the view icon next to a students name on the roster opens a page with a table of Personal Progress for that student. There are now three means to navigate quickly to other students. There is the Previous Student and the Next Student button that allows you to navigate to adjacent students on the roster. And there is a drop-down field in which you can select any student on the roster. The two buttons were previously absent on Version 2 and the drop down field was previously not working. All is now good!
- There were several tasks that did not have associated categories and did not show up when searching by category. These were mostly CalcPad Problem Sets for Fluids and Rotation and Torque. All has been fixed.
- There were some test files (aka, garbage) that sneaked up from our test server to the live server. The garbage has been taken out.
We have some more goodies under development. Stay tuned.
Febuary 6, 2024
There have been two small updates to the site today. They include
Pressure-Volume Concept Builder
A previous version of this Concept Builder included Help Me! links that linked to the wrong pages. This has been fixed. Versio 2.2.1 has the fix.
Mass Spectrometer Simulation
The Mass Spectrometer simulation uploaded last week has received a couple of tweeks and small bug fixes.
Febuary 5, 2024
Concept Builder - Flow Velocity
Our sixth Concept Builder on the topic of Fluids is now live. The questions target students' understanding of the law of conservation of mass, volumetric flow rate, and the relationship between cross-sectional area and flow velocity. There are three activities with 44 total questions organized into 12 question groups. This is a new topic for us and represents our continued effort to extend our coverage to topics not traditionally addressed on the site.
Febuary 2, 2024
New Simulation: Mass Spectrometer
Over the past year, we have been adding resources on the topic of magnetism and electromagnetism. We just added one more today to our Physics Interactives section. Our new Mass Spectrometer simulation allows students to explore the inner workings of a Bainbridge Mass Spectrometer. We owe a thanks to Physics teacher Martin Kirby who has contributed several sims to our Physics Interactives section. Other sims by Martin can be found
here.
Febuary 1, 2024
Concept Builder - Pascal's Principal
Our fifth of a proposed eight Concept Builders for our new Fluids section is now live. The topic is Pascal's Principle. The activity focuses on the application of Pascal's Principle to the operation of a hydraulic lift. The Concept Builder consists of 25 total questions organized into 9 different Question Groups and spread across three Activities.
January, 2024
January 31, 2024
Construction Helmet Day
There were more fixes today. This is beginning to feel like a government job ... except that we really do fix things. As an FYI: that's as political of a statement as we will ever make. We stick to Physics (and only on occassion, mix in some stand-up comedy).
Energy Analysis 2
The fix we made to this Concept Builder on 1/26 has now been undone. We reverted back to Version 2.2 due to issues with the update.
Task Tracker, Version 2
We have been monitoring Task Tracker closely, fixing bugs, and making improvements. We always appreciate teacher feedback on issues. There have been many improvements and fixes today. They include ...
- All School lists should be alphabetizing now. And typing into the School lists field will select out only schools matching the typed string.
- Student rosters are now presented in alphabetical order.
- The View button (eyeball icon) next to students' name is now worrking correctly
We have more fixes and improvements on the way; but as is, Version 2 is operating in a very stable manner.
Properties of Matter Concept Builder
The What Am I? activity was not recording progress. It now does. Sorry. Version 2.2.1 contains the fix.
Fluid Pressure Concept Builder
The link in Task Tracker to this Concept Builder was not working. It now works.
Calculator Pad, Rotational Dynamics
Two problems - RD5Q2 and RD8Q3 were not working well. There were duplicate parts and some parts had no answer equations. Both problems have been retired and replaced with RD5Q2V2 and RD8Q3V2.
Physics Interactives, Free-Body Diagrams - The Sequel
One of the questions (air hockey table question) was grading the question correctly but providing incorrect feedback when the wrong force types were selected. This has been corrrected. Version 1.2 contains the fix.
Science Reasoning Center - Slinky Experiments
Unfortunately the second activity (Slinky Experiments - Day 2) was not tracking students' progress. The error has been corrected and it is now working. Version 1.1 contains the fix.
Teachers: it's always worth mentioning - "See something. Say something." If you see something misbehaving on our website, report it. You will find an email at the bottom of the Teacher Resources page of your account and at the bottom of the About page. Thanks heaps for helping out.
January 29, 2024
Concept Builder - Floating, Sinking, and Hanging
A new Concept Builder is now available for our Fluids section. The Concept Builder explores the question of what makes some objects float and other objects sink? There are a total of 72 multi-part questions organized into 18 Question Groups and spread across three activities. It's perfect for any level and provides good conceptual reasoning skills for AP Physics 1.
January 26, 2024
Friday Fixes
January 25, 2024
Teacher Presentation Pack
We completed and uploaded a very large project known as the Teacher Presentation Pack. It is a downloadable product that includes nearly 190 Microsoft PowerPoint slide decks, about 170 animations and videos in .mp4 and .gif formats, too-many-to-count stand-alone images, and a Lesson Notes page for every slide deck. The slide decks are compatible with Google Slides. We did our best to make the product ready-to-use and at the same time fully customizable. It's a great tool in the toolbox for any early-career teacher, cross-over teacher, or even veteran teacher.
January 24, 2024
Task Tracker, Version 2
We went live with Task Tracker Version 2 for teachers. This is a > 1-year long project that involved a complete overhaul of the back-end code. We are slowly and cautiously releasing it. The new version was designed to make class and task creation and management easier. It affects teachers only. You will find the link on your account page labeled as Classes (Version 2). On occassion we may take the link down as we make adjustments, edits, and new code uploads; then we will put the link back up. We should have everything ironed out within a week. The Legacy version of classes will remain available until the end of the year.
January 18, 2024
Task Tracker Improvement for Minds On Physics
Students and teachers should notice a change for all Minds On Physics Task Tracker missions. Missions have previously displayed names in Task Tracker like Mission KG6. They will now display a more descriptive name like Mission KG6 Interpreting Velocity-Time Graphs. This is a small part of a huge project involving many moving parts that will be coming out VERY SOON (tomorrow or early next week).
January 16, 2024
Concept Builder - Buoyancy
Our third Concept Builder for our new Fluids section is now live. The topic is Buoyancy and targets a student understanding of Archimede's Principle. There are three activities with 33 questions organized into nine question groups. This is a new topic for us and represents our continued effort to extend our coverage to topics not traditionally addressed on the site.
January 15, 2024
Concept Builder - Fluid Pressure
We just launched a new Concept Builder for our growing Fluids section. The topic is Fluid Pressure and the Concept Builder explores the nature of fluid pressure and the variables that affect its magnitude. Students must demonstrate expertise at differentiating between the information that is extraneous and the information that is relevant to the pressure exerted by a fluid at a given location.
January 12, 2024
Video Tutorial - Young's Experiment
Our final video in our Tutorial Series on Light and Color is complete. The Under Construction sign has been taken down. The topic of the video is Young's Experiment; we think it turned out well. It's a great prep for those classes who do Young's experiment as a lab.
January 11, 2024
Video Tutorial - Path Difference and Wavelength
Our Path Difference and Wavelength Video Tutorial is now live. The video relies on clever animations to develop the mathematical logic by which the path difference for two waves meeting up at an anti-nodal or nodal line is related to the wavelength. If you cover two-point source interference, you'll want to see the graphics and animations used in this video.
January 10, 2024
Concept Builder - Properties of Matter
We have started a new collection of Concept Builders on the topic of
Fluids. The first of eight Concept Builders is now live. The topic is on the Properties of Matter with an emphasis in those properties that make fluids different than non-fluids. This section on Fluids should be completed by the end of February (but probably sooner).
January 9, 2024
Video Tutorial - Anatomy of a Two-Point Source Interference Pattern
We have just published the 11th of 13 planned videos in our Light Waves and Color Video Tutorial. This video introduces the language associated with two-point source patterns. There are two follow-up videos to this one that will be out this week.
January 8, 2024
Video Tutorial - How the Eyes See Color
Our newest video on How the Eyes See Color describes the wavelength sensitivity of the three color receptors on the eye's retina and discusses how the incident-absorbed-reflected model can be used to explain how the eye-brain system perceives color in objects. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.
January 5, 2024
Video Tutorial - Electromagnetic and Visible Light Spectrum
We just went live with a Video Tutorial on the Electromagnetic and Visible Light Spectrum. We have four more videos before completion of our Video Tutorial project.
January 4, 2024
Video Tutorial - Thin Film Interference
Our 8th of 13 videos is now live. Thin Film Interfernce relies a wave model to explain the iridescent colors in a soap or oil film. Great graphics. Great learning.
January 3, 2024
Video Tutorial - Two-Point Source Interference Patterns
The basic idea of our new video is that the fact that light interferes to form two-point source interference patterns provides evidence for the wave nature of light. Later videos will introduce the mathematics of two-point source interference patterns and lead to an analysis of Young's Experiment.
January 2, 2024
Video Tutorial - The Wave Nature of Light
We have continued work on our Light Waves and Color section of our Video Tutorial. We hope to finish it up in the next few weeks. We have just released what is the first video in a series of 13. Five of the other videos have already been completed.
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