Tracker

The Tracker tool extends traditional video analysis by enabling users to create particle models based on Newton's laws. Because models synchronize with and draw themselves right on videos of real-world objects, students can test models experimentally by direct visual inspection.

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Featured Tracker Package

Measurement of the Sidereal Day with Tracker
The Measurement of the Sidereal Day with Tracker Lab uses the Tracker video analysis tool to measure and analyze the motion stars near Polaris (the North Celestial Pole) to determine the length of the sidereal day.  This exercise uses 13 still images taken 10 minutes apart of the night sky near Polaris.
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Curriculum Packages

OSP curriculum packages combine computer simulations with tutorial materials and student worksheets. Packages can be modified to meet the needs of faculty and students

Browse curriculum resources by topic and learn how to customize packages

Featured Curriculum Package

Copernican Revolution
A shared file folder of Astronomy models designed for a course on the Copernican Revolution.  In this course students explore the history of astronomy from the Ancient Greeks to Isaac Newton.  Astronomical theories are studied in some detail and evaluated based on their success or failure at reproducing astronomical observations.  The EJS simulations in this folder allow students to actively engage with the astronomical theories and visualize the apparent motions predicted by each theory.

EJS Modeling

Student modeling, the guided exploration of physical systems and concepts, is a powerful approach to engaged learning. Easy Java Simulations provides the computational tools for students and faculty to explore physics without the need for learning details of java programming.

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Featured EJS Model

Simulated Annealing Method for the Traveling Salesman Model
The Simulated Annealing Method for the Traveling Salesman Model demonstrates the use of the "simulated annealing algorithm" to attempt to solve the "travelling salesman" problem. A text file containing longitude and latitude data for 120 cities in the US and southern Canada is loaded when this program begins.
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Programming

Open Source Physics provides extensive resources for computational physics and physics simulations. Included are:

• An Eclipse environment for OSP
• OSP Source Code Libraries
• OSP best practices
• Documentation

Access programming resources

Tools

OSP provides several general applications for physics teaching, student activities, and curriculum distribution. These are:

• Launcher – Simulation packages.
• Tracker – Video analysis.
• EJS – Easy Java Simulations.
• Data Tool – Data analysis.