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Science SPORE Prize
November 2011

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The Open Source Physics Project is supported by NSF DUE-0442581.

Computational Resources for Teaching

The OSP Collection provides curriculum resources that engage students in physics, computation, and computer modeling. Computational physics and computer modeling provide students with new ways to understand, describe, explain, and predict physical phenomena. Browse the OSP simulations or learn more about our tools and curriculum pieces below.

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.

Learn more about Tracker

Featured Tracker Package

Featured OSP Resource

Tracker Video Analysis: Angry Birds in Space
What type of force is exerted on Angry Birds in Space?  The video analysis in this item explores the physics behind the game. This Tracker model was featured in Rhett Allain's Wired magazine Dot Physics blog.
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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

Featured OSP Resource

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.

Learn more about EJS

Featured EJS Model

Featured OSP Resource

Gray Scott Reaction Diffusion Model
The Gray-Scott Reaction Diffusion Model displays the spatial concentration of chemical species U and V under the influence of the reaction U+2V->3V and V->P.  The simulation models this reaction in an open system with a constant addition of U and removal of V due to a flow.  Combining this autocatalytic process with diffusion results in pattern formation that has a surprising variety of spatiotemporal patterns when starting in the initial state U=1 and V=0 except for a square grid at the center where U=1/2 and V=1/4.
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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:

OSP Events

Incorporating Computation and Modeling into Physics and Astronomy Teaching
Workshop for New Faculty
ACP, College Park, MD
June 17-20, 2013

Integrating OSP Materials into the College Ready Project
Content and Resource Development Workshop
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR
June 24-26, 2013
June 27-29, 2013

Designing Courses with Moodle
Workshop
AAPT 2013 Summer Meeting
Portland OR
July 13-17, 2013

More events

Latest OSP Materials

May 19 NVT-Molecular Dynamics Model
May 17 Instantaneous Frequency Stock Market Model
Apr 19 Teaching with Moodle and OSP Plugins
Apr 16 Stock Market Momentum Model

Recent Library Material Comments

Apr 26 - 1:36 AM EST
lookang posted gold find :) to the Teaching with Moodle and… thread.


Recent Discussions

May 22 - 4:07 PM EST
Julia Branke posted Re: Re: Screenshot… to the Screenshot Dialog thread.

May 22 - 6:08 AM EST
Luis de la Torre posted Re: any remote lab… to the any remote lab… thread.

May 18 - 11:52 AM EST
Diego Racero posted Re: Re: Augmented… to the Remote camera thread.

May 09 - 1:21 PM EST
fergal wallace posted Re: Re: Resetting… to the Resetting certain… thread.

May 07 - 7:50 AM EST
Jean-Philippe… posted Re: using number… to the number fields thread.