MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations

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MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems

designer: Michael Danziger
educational validator: John Belcher
published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
supported by the National Science Foundation

This item is an interactive 3D Shockwave simulation that illustrates the different types of coordinate systems often used in studying electromagnetism: cartesian, cylindrical (polar), and spherical. Each system has a distinct set of principle axes, represented by the three surfaces. Users may toggle among the three systems, move each system in any direction, and control the observation point in the three different principle directions.

This item is part of a collection of visualizations developed by the MIT TEAL project to supplement an introductory course in calculus-based electricity and magnetism. Lecture notes, labs, and presentations are also available as part of MIT's Open Courseware Repository:
MIT Open Courseware: Electricity and Magnetism

Please note that this resource requires Shockwave.

http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Mathematical Tools - Coordinate Systems - Vector Algebra	- Lower Undergraduate - High School	- Instructional Material = Interactive Simulation - Audio/Visual = Movie/Animation

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Learners - Educators	- application/shockwave - text/html	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Access Rights:: Free access
License:: This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.
Rights Holder:: MIT Open Courseware (OCW): http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/terms/terms/index.htm
Keywords:: 3D simulation, 3D vector fields, 3D visualization, Vector Fields, cartesian coordinates, interactive simulations, polar coordinates, representations, spherical coordinates, three-dimensional simulation, vector field simulation, vectors, visualization
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created March 31, 2010 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: April 15, 2010 by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:: July 31, 2008

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=9934">National Science Foundation. MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, July 31, 2008.</a>

AIP Format

(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 2004), WWW Document, (http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm).

AJP/PRST-PER

MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 2004), <http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm>.

APA Format

MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems. (2008, July 31). Retrieved April 26, 2025, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology: http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm

Chicago Format

National Science Foundation. MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, July 31, 2008. http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm (accessed 26 April 2025).

MLA Format

MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. 31 July 2008. National Science Foundation. 26 Apr. 2025 <http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems}, Publisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {26 April 2025}, Month = {July 31, 2008}, Year = {2004} }

Refer Export Format

%T MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems %D July 31, 2008 %I Massachusetts Institute of Technology %C Cambridge %U http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm %O application/shockwave

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D July 31, 2008 %T MIT Physics 8.02: Vector Fields Visualizations - Coordinate Systems %I Massachusetts Institute of Technology %V 2025 %N 26 April 2025 %8 July 31, 2008 %9 application/shockwave %U http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/802TEAL3D/visualizations/vectorfields/CoordinateSystems/coordsystems.htm

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