New PSRC collection resources

Annenberg Learner Interactives: The Periodic Table

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:54 UTC

This web page provides an interactive periodic table with basic information of the elements. Clicking on each element brings up more information with some links to tutorials and videos. This resource was created as part of Annenberg Media, an organization devoted to distributing educational video programs with additional resources. The Annenberg Learner.org web site has been closed. Tthis is an archived version hosted on The Internet Archive.

Interactive Quantum Mechanics for Students

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:46:12 UTC

Quantum Explorer is a free, browser-based interactive learning tool for students beginning quantum mechanics. It combines explanations, equations, numerical calculations, and interactive visualizations to help students explore important quantum-mechanical concepts. Topics include stationary states, time evolution of wave functions, free particles and wave packets, quantum scattering, spin-1/2 systems and the Bloch sphere, hydrogen atom states, Zeeman and Stark effects, and the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Students can change physical parameters and immediately see how the quantum system responds. The goal is to complement textbooks and lectures by making mathematical concepts easier to explore visually and interactively. The application runs directly in a web browser and is free to use.

University of Maryland Physics Demo Videos

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:38:49 UTC

This video collection from the University of Maryland Physics Lecture Demonstration Facility contains a wide range of videos of traditional physics demonstrations. Topics include mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, sound, and a few more advanced topics. Most videos include some explanation of the physics topic demonstrated.

MIT TechTV: Adjustable Capacitor with Dielectric

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:00:38 UTC

This video demonstration illustrates the voltage and charge capacity of a parallel plate capacitor. In one experiment, constant voltage is maintained across a parallel pate capacitor. The effect of increasing the distance between the plates on the flow of charge is demonstrated. In the second experiment, a fixed amount of charge is deposited on one of the plates and the effect of the separation of the plates is shown. The effect of placing a dielectric between the plates is also illustrated. The video includes a short explanation of the demonstration. This video is part of a video demonstration collection created by the Physics Department at MIT.

MIT TechTV: Faraday's Cage

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:49:58 UTC

This video demonstration illustrates the working of a Faraday's cage. Tinsel in the proximity of a Van de Graaff generator gets repelled due to the electrostatic potential generated. A metal cage made of aluminium around the tinsel protects the tinsel from the electrostatic potential. The charge in the cage arranges in such a way that the net field in the interior of the cage cancels. The video includes a short explanation of the demonstration. This video is part of a video demonstration collection created by the Physics Department at MIT.

Magnetism 3D Lab

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:30:13 UTC

Magnetism 3D Lab is a free, browser-based interactive magnetic-field simulator for high-school and introductory undergraduate physics. Students construct scenes from straight and finite wires, current loops, solenoids, toroids, bar magnets, and uniform-field regions, then explore the resulting fields in 2D and 3D. Visualization modes include heatmaps, Linear Integral Convolution (LIC), iron filings, field vectors, and 3D field lines. A closed-path integral tool supports investigations of Ampère's law on user-drawn loops. Charged-particle trajectories in 2D and 3D illustrate magnetic forces with adjustable initial conditions. Example investigations include Helmholtz-coil field uniformity, solenoid fields, magnetic dipoles, and cyclotron motion. The simulator supports lecture demonstrations, pre-lab visualization, computer-based lab activities, and student inquiry in AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, IB Physics, and introductory university E&M courses. Scenes can be shared by URL and embedded via iframe in course pages. It runs in modern desktop and Chromebook browsers, with no installation or registration required.

Testing alternative explanations for common responses to conceptual questions: An example in the context of center of mass

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:51:25 UTC

In physics education research it has been common to interpret student errors on conceptual questions in topic-specific ways, rather than in terms of general perceptual or reasoning difficulties. This paper examines two alternative accounts for responses to questions related to the concept of center of mass. In one account, difficulties are said to be perceptual in nature; in the other, difficulties are said to be tightly linked to the concepts in question. Hypotheses derived from the former perspective are tested in studies conducted among university students in introductory physics courses. The results do not provide strong support for the perceptual hypothesis; in fact, there is evidence that performance on perception tasks may be influenced by subjects’ ideas about the physical scenario. While the results do not provide general support for one perspective versus the other, the paper serves as an illustration of the type of investigation needed to develop the kind of rich representation of student thinking that will allow instructional resources to be most effectively targeted.

Living Physics Portal

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:36:22 UTC

The Living Physics Portal is an online environment for physics faculty to share and discuss free curricular resources for teaching introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS). The objective of the Portal is to improve the education of the next generation of medical professionals and biologists by making physics classes more relevant for life sciences students. Recent additions to the portal include more advanced content for upper level, graduate, and professional courses including topics in biophysics and medical physics.

Computational Physics, Problem Solving with Python

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:29:11 UTC

This website hosts resources supporting the textbook, Computational Physics 4th Ed.: Problem Solving with Python authored by Rubin H Landau, Manuel J Paez, and Cristian Bordeianu, with contributions by Guangliang He. ISBN: 978-3-527-41425-3 Materials available include python code for the text and example problems, lecture slides, quizzes, and video lectures by the primary author. Topics covered are the basics of scientific computation, data science, and applications to physics systems.

General Physics Animations

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 03:13:04 UTC

This website contains a collection of illustrations covering basic physics and mathematics topics. Many illustrations include adjustable parameters that allow the user to explore the physical properties.

Electromagnetism Worksheets for Physlet Physics

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:03:43 UTC

Electromagnetism Worksheets for Physlet Physics were developed by Dr. Rudra Kafle, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts. They are based on the Physlet Physics Simulations. Students work on the suggested simulations in groups of 3-4 people for 20-30 minutes in active learning classes as they answer the questions in the Worksheets. Students are asked to submit them for grading through a Learning Management System. These Worksheets are thus being used as learning as well as assessment tools. If there are any questions about the Mechanics Worksheets, please e-mail Dr. Rudra Kafle at rpk101@wpi.edu.

Show the Physics

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 18:39:55 UTC

This book presents a selection of physics demonstrations from the Dutch book series “ShowdeFysica” [Frederik et al., 2023, Frederik et al., 2017, Frederik et al., 2015] as published by the Dutch Association for Science Education. The three original volumes are used as a useful resource for many lectures. The original books have been translated, updated, and posted online as an open access resource for the use of a wider range of physics teachers. Included with the demonstrations are strategies to make the demonstrations more educational. Videos and live code python simulations are included as well.

A One Credit Hour Eclipse Course for 2024: Description and Offer to the Community

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 23:11:21 UTC

This github repository provides materials for a turn-key, general-education level, interdisciplinary eclipse course. It is designed to help prepare for the Apr 8, 2024 total eclipse. Available in the repository are more than 400 slides, 7 multiple choice quizzes, and 14 video-recorded lectures of 50' each. The slides can be edited for local use, and the material can be used any way an instructor desires. The goal is to further education about the eclipse, and eclipses in general. A 6 page manuscript describing the course is provided.

Pirate Ship JS Model

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:05:52 UTC

The Pirate Ship JavaScript Model is a JavaScript implementation of the Java version of the same model. These simulations were inspired by the Pirate Ride at Hershey Park. The "ship" part of the ride has a center of mass that lies 14 m from the pivot point (approximately the center of the boat). The ship swings freely from the pivot, and is driven by a roller built into the floor directly below the ship. The operator presses either the clockwise torque button or the counter clockwise torque button to change the motion of the ship. Because the drive can only push the ship when it is in contact, the drive is only available when the ship is within 30º of its lowest position. The drive buttons are grey when no drive is available (simulation is paused or the ship does not contact the drive roller), the turn white when the drive is available. When drive button is pressed, it turns green and a constant torque is exerted on the ship until the button is released or until the ship moves out of contact with the drive roller. Note that torque can not be applied if the simulation is paused or has not been started. The Pirate Ship JavaScript Model was developed using the Easy Java Simulations (EjsS) version 5. It is distributed as a ready-to-run html page and requires only a browser with JavaScript support.

CPEP: Fundamental Particles and Interactions

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 14:29:14 UTC

This chart shows the fundamental particles and their interactions. Included in the chart is information on the structure of the atom, baryons, mesons, fermions, and bosons. Additional sections are devoted to particle processes and unsolved mysteries.

Magnetic Jeopardy Class Game

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:13:45 UTC

This website includes all instructor resources needed to play an in-class Jeopardy game (an answer-guessing game) for an undergraduate electromagnetism class (Griffith's-level). Student teams compete to guess answers to the questions. The time to play this is AFTER students have read sections in the book on Magnetostatics, currents, and Lorentz Force Law (section 5.1.3 in Griffiths), and BEFORE they have turned in homework for this content. The activity takes about 45 minutes of class time and I find that it replaces any lecturing needed for this material. Find a discussion on pedagogy in the instructor notes document. Three downloadable instructor resources at this website: 1. pdf: Instructor Notes on Magnetic Jeopardy Game. 2. Powerpoint presentation file called “MagneticJeopardy”. 2. Answer sheet, a pdf called, “MagneticJeopardy_AnswerSheet”.

Current Solar Images

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:05:39 UTC

This web site contains the most recent full-resolution images and magnetograms of the Sun from SOHO and other observatories at several wavelengths including visible, X-ray, and ultraviolet.

Cosmology: An Introductory Resource Guide for Instructors

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:55:13 UTC

This resource guide for introductory astronomy highlights useful and accessible materials on the web and in print. It is designed to help instructors quickly compile high-quality supplementary materials to support the teaching of cosmology. It includes a sampling of non-technical materials that instructors around the U.S. are using and are likely to be readily accessible. Resources include animations and simulations, selected talks on cosmology, lab activities, and selected books. Topics addressed include history of cosmology, dark energy, dark matter, cosmological distance, cosmic microwave, and the origin of the universe. Don't miss the selected simulations, a list of well-produced visualizations that would be difficult to find through traditional web searching.

Copernican System Model

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:52:07 UTC

The Ejs Copernican System model illustrates Copernicus' system of planetary motions. The entire system is centered on the center of Earth's uniform, circular orbit. Sun is placed near, but not at, this center point. The orbit of each planet (other than Earth) consists of a deferent circle, centered on a point some distance from the center (at the eccentric point). Attached to this deferent is the center of a much smaller circle, the epicycle (or epicyclet). The radius of the epicycle is 1/3 the eccentricity of the deferent. The planet moves along the epicycle at a constant angular speed equal to twice the angular speed along the deferent. This model produces retrograde motion and changes in brightness that are always properly correlated with the location of Sun. In this simulation, the planet is assumed to move in the plane of the ecliptic, so its latitude is always zero. You can modify this simulation if you have Ejs installed by right-clicking within the plot and selecting "Open Ejs Model" from the pop-up menu item. Ejs Copernican System model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double clicking the ejs_astronomy_CopernicanSystem.jar file will run the program if Java is installed. Ejs is a part of the Open Source Physics Project and is designed to make it easier to access, modify, and generate computer models. Additional Ejs models for astronomy are available. They can be found by searching ComPADRE for Open Source Physics, OSP, or Ejs.

College Departments Offering Astronomy Related Degrees

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:45:38 UTC

This website is a reference guide for major Astronomy degree-granting programs in the United States. It contains contact information for the university and the degrees they offer.