APS Excellence in Physics Education Award
November 2019

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Science SPORE Prize
November 2011

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

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Folder Folder An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods -- EJS Edition
Folder An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods -- EJS Edition  (9 resources, 3 subfolders)
The Easy Java Simulations (EJS) adaptation of an An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods by Harvey Gould, Jan Tobochnik, and Wolfgang Christian emphasizes physics modeling by example.   We have chosen EJS for this edition because its dynamic and highly interactive user interface greatly reduces the amount of programming required to implement an idea. EJS is a Java program that enables both programmers and novices to quickly and easily prototype, test, and distribute packages of Java simulations.  EJS gently introduces students to Java syntax but even experienced programmers find it useful because it is faster and easier program in EJS than in other environments.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 1: Introduction to modeling
Chapter 1 introduces the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) edition of the An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods and discusses the importance of computers in physics and the nature of computer simulation.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 2: Creating simulations
Chapter 2 introduces Java syntax and EJS elements in the context of simulating the motion of falling particles near the Earth's surface.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 3: Simulating Particle Motion
Chapter 3 presents several numerical methods needed to simulate the motion of particles using Newton's laws and introduces the Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) editor that makes it possible to select different numerical algorithms for ODE-based models. EJS 3D elements are also introduced to model motion in three dimensions.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 4: Oscillations
Chapter 4 explores the behavior of oscillatory systems, including the simple harmonic oscillator, a simple pendulum, and electrical circuits.  We introduce the concept of phase space and also show how the EJS ODE editor is used to solve arrays of differential equations.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 5: Few-Body Problems
Chapter 5 applies Newton's laws of motion to planetary motion and other systems of a few particles and explores some of the counter-intuitive consequences.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 6: The Chaotic Motion of Dynamical Systems
Chapter 6 studies simple nonlinear deterministic models that exhibit chaotic behavior. We will find that the use of the computer to do numerical experiments will help us gain insight into the nature of chaos.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 7: Random Processes
Chapter 7 introduces Random processes in the context of several simple physical systems, including random walks on a lattice, polymers, and diffusion controlled chemical reactions. The generation of random number sequences also is discussed.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 10: Electrodynamics
Chapter 10 computes the electric fields due to static and moving charges, describes methods for computing the electric potential in boundary value problems, and solves Maxwell's equations numerically.
EJS CSM Textbook Chapter 17: Visualization and Rigid Body Dynamics
Chapter 17 studies affine transformations in order to visualize objects in three dimensions. We then solve Euler's equation of motion for rigid body dynamics using the quaternion representation of rotations.

Folder An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods -- EJS Edition Subfolders

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