Interactive Physics

"It is one of the most useful programs for advanced mathematics teaching I have seen for some time."

Interactive Physics “promises to be the one used by most physics instructors... I’ve used it to make some of my standard simulations, and I find that the new editing tools make it quick to create the desired simulation.”

“The real-time, editable physical models in [Interactive Physics] would have been available only on workstations just a few years ago. The interface is admirable, with a tools palette immediately comprehensible to anyone who’s worked with any PC program. We were making worlds of bouncing balls and cannon shots within minutes. Despite the simplicity of the interface though, Interactive physics can be used to create terribly sophisticated sims with powerful data input and export. Overall, this is an outstanding package... with an excellent help system and tutorial. Interactive Physics plus a textbook could be a viable education in itself... Wish I’d had this in high school.”

“The new version also has more tools, including a new curved-polygon body type and Join/Split and Object Snap features that help you build complex mechanisms. It’s now easier to draw curved slots for mechanisms, and you can adjust most physical parameters with sliders. Not only can you set up and recall data for simulations from Microsoft Excel, but Interactive Physics can now access and run external scripts. With Interactive Physics, ... shows us how good instructional software can be. It doesn’t replace a real physics lab and a good teacher... but it’s a great companion.”

“Interactive Physics (IP) is the best known, most commonly used graphical-modeling program for an extremely wide variety of physical situations. IP has had more influence on the teaching of physics than any other modeling program. At least seven general physics texts include IP simulations in the ancillary materials, and at least two complete workshops from major publishers feature this program. Despite it’s occasional idiosyncrasies, I find it to be an efficient tool for preparing and presenting simulations that are effective and readily modified in the classroom; for testing, sharpening, and often correcting one’s intuition; and simply for casual explorations.”
Computers in Physics

According to the ScienceMan, “Interactive Physics is a great product - if you don’t own and you teach physics, you definitely should buy it...Is this just software that moves balls around a screen? Heck, no! Build and dismantle machines, change properties of objects, construct interactive physics games, measure simulations numerically and graphically, even import your own class selected spreadsheet data - the possibilites are endless! My students have constructed fascinating gravity and momentum demonstrations that are so I good I use them in presentations to other teachers!”

Instructor Comments and Research Initiatives

Check out what instructors do with Interactive Physics. From inquiry learning in middle school to discovering new physics concepts in college, Interactive Physics allows your students to become professional scientists.