This interactive exhibit, part of the Exhibits Collection, explores how the laws of physics play a role in the design of amusement park rides. Activities in the exhibit invite visitors to design a roller coaster and determine the outcomes of bumper car collisions. The exhibit also includes related Web sites.

MyPhysicsLab Physics Simulation in Java PREV HOME NEXT Click on one of the physics simulations below... you'll see them animating in real time, and be able to interact with them by dragging objects or changing parameters like gravity. Get Java if you don't already have it. single spring double spring pendulum chaotic pendulum double pendulum 2D spring double 2D spring colliding blocks cart with ...

Did you know that airplanes and space shuttles use the utterly low-tech gyroscope for navigation Discover the secret behind gyroscopic motion!

Helium balloons tend to fascinate adults and children alike (and it's not just the Donald Duck voice thing, though that is a big draw). Learn all about helium and why it floats!

A fascinating article that describes how a block and tackle (as well as levers and gears) works!

Central Force Motion with Java The applet below illustrates the orbits of particles in a variety of color-coded forces. (Your browser is not Java aware) Overview of this site Investigate the qualitative behaviour of orbits in different forces (gravity, Yukawa potential, Harmonic force (i.e. spring), 1/R3 force) See how effective potentials are used to find turning points of orbits in a central ...

The Lagrange Points The Italian-French mathematician Josef Lagrange discovered five special points in the vicinity of two orbiting masses where a third, smaller mass can orbit at a fixed distance from the larger masses. More precisely, the Lagrange Points mark positions where the gravitational pull of the two large masses precisely cancels the centripetal acceleration required to rotate with ...

1 Dimensional Kinematics Multi Dimensional Kinematics Newton's Laws Collisions Circular Motion Work and Energy (Click on the topic you wish to study...) The U of O Physics Student Page last update: November 6, 1995 dmason@zebu.uoregon.edu ...

Kepler's Laws, an exposition from the Platonic Realms Interactive Math Encyclopedia.

Orbital Energies, Kepler's Laws and Other Relationships Kepler's Laws Kepler's Three Laws can be used to describe the motion of the Planets: Planets move in orbits that are ellipses The planets move such that the line between the Sun and the Planet sweeps out the same area in the same area in the same time no matter where in the orbit. The square of the period of the orbit of a planet is ...

Small Oscillations Problem: Two masses, 1kg and 2kg, are fixed horizontally to fixed side supports with springs as shown below. The masses are constrained to move along the horizontal line. From their equilibrium position m1 is given a displacement L to the right, while m2 is held fixed. At t=0 they are released from rest. Give the equation for the positions of m1 and m2 as a function of time.

On a general Method of expressing the Paths of Light, and of the Planets, by the Coefficients of a Characteristic Function ...