photo credit: Philip Greenspun; image source

Sand Dunes

This photo (hi-res version) shows the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in Mosca, Colorado. To learn more about sand dunes, visit this Wikipedia entry.  Also, to see sand dunes form indoors, check out this Exploratorium exhibit.

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PhET: The Moving Man

Security note:
Once you have clicked on the "simulation" link below, be sure to read the Java Security Advisory before running the simulation: To do that, click the "Read now" button on the yellow band near the top of the PhET page.

If you'd like to learn about motion, try PhET: The Moving Man, a PhET simulation from the University of Colorado. As you move the man back and forth, the applet generates graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration. There are nice sound effects, too.

(This feature was updated on May 5, 2013.)

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image credit: U. S. Geological Survey; image source

Sand Dunes in Namib Desert

This Landsat-7 image (hi-res version) shows the world's tallest sand dunes. For a satellite image of sand dunes advancing on a city, see NASA's City-Swallowing Sand Dunes.

Physics in Action: Whole Grains

Visit the Physics Central feature Whole Grains to learn about physics research in granular materials.   You'll see a photo of a collapsing grain silo and a terrific sand castle.   For more, see the NASA site The Physics of Sand Castles.