Physics Community Portal
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Welcome – From the Editor
Welcome to the MERLOT Physics Portal, a collection of educational resources for instructors and students of physics. The collection focuses on open access and open source content that improves conceptual understanding and problem solving. You can help build the collection by joining MERLOT, submitting content, lesson plans, and activities, and volunteering to join the peer review process.
Showcase
The Editor's Choice 2014: This project provides a wide range of visual, interactive quantum mechanics tutorials. The materials cover all aspects of an upper-level quantum mechanics class, as well as advanced topics in quantum information and the foundations of quantum theory.
New Materials
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Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer Explained: Laws, Conduction, Convection, Radiation
Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer Explained: Energy Conversion, Entropy, Transport Phenomena and Thermal Systems is an...
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Chronoscope: Interactive Simulations of Time
Chronoscope is a free collection of more than twenty browser-based interactive simulations exploring time in physics,...
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Velocity-time graphs · Describing Motion Around Us — VisualTextbook
This interactive animation is designed to support conceptual understanding of velocity–time graphs by linking graphical...
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Aeroway LAB-2026-01: Density Altitude & High-Hot-Heavy Performance Laboratory
Aeroway LAB-2026-01 is an interactive, browser-based computational aeronautical laboratory designed for collegiate...
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One Physics Book 5: University Physics - Year 3
The third university year of One Physics Book, a free, coherent physics course from grade 1 to the end of a bachelor's...
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A-Level Physics Dynamics: Newton's Laws and F = ma Guide
A free-to-access revision tutorial for upper-secondary A-Level Physics. It explains how to identify forces, draw a...
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Plasma Physics - Free Graduate-Level Course
A graduate course in plasma physics across eight parts and 67 pages: single-particle motion and drifts, kinetic theory...
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General Relativity - Free Graduate-Level Course
A graduate course in general relativity across nine parts and 107 pages, treating gravity as the curvature of spacetime....
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Quantum Field Theory — Free Online Course | 440+ Pages | CoursesHub.World
A graduate course in quantum field theory across eight parts and 110 pages: classical field theory and Noether's theorem,...
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Quantum Mechanics - Free Graduate-Level Course
A graduate quantum mechanics course running from the mathematical foundations to advanced topics: Hilbert spaces, linear...
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PMAD Simulation
The PMAD Simulation is a comprehensive, projectile motion simulation tailored towards students and educators in AP...
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Orders of Magnitude – Free Classroom Activity
A free classroom activity for exploring orders of magnitude, powers of ten and scientific notation through real-world...
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Understanding Size & Scale
Understanding Size & Scale is a free interactive learning activity for students aged approximately 10–16. Students...
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Physics.rocks
An independent, fast-loading physics learning resource authored by a Ph.D. physicist. Covers fundamental mechanics,...
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Magnetism 3D Lab
Magnetism 3D Lab is a free, browser-based interactive magnetic-field simulator for high-school and introductory...
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SciSolveLab: Open-Access Interactive Computational Modules for STEM Education
SciSolveLab is an open-access digital learning resource developed for secondary and undergraduate STEM instruction. The...
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Quantum Mechanics Done Right: The shortest path from novice to researcher
This open access book develops the world of quantum physics without the onerous math prerequisites of all other texts....
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OpenLab Science — Free Interactive Physics Simulations with Lab Sheets
OpenLab Science is a free browser-based virtual physics lab built for high school and college-prep physics classrooms. It...
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Using a no-cost online homework platform for mechanics problems in Physics
The California State University and MERLOT have partnered to showcase how and why faculty have adopted Open Educational...
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Interactive Primer — the tree of knowledge
Free, open-source “smart web pages” that teach maths, compsci and physics from the age of 5 to 105. One tree of knowledge...
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Drive Mad
Drive Mad is a fresh take on stunt driving. You control various vehicles on dangerous courses. The focus is on physics...
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Spectroscopy (a free educational astronomy puzzle game)
An interactive puzzle game for learning astronomical spectroscopy. Students explore how each chemical element produces a...
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3JCN Physics Simulation — Free Interactive 3D Physics Simulations (OER)
3JCN Physics Simulation is a free CC BY 4.0 open educational resource containing more than 350 interactive 3D physics...
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isotope map | isotopemap.com
Explore every known isotope and its properties in our interactive scientific database.
New Members
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Haoran TangSaint Andrew's School -
G. Blake PierpointOld Dominion University
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Abrar Al ShaqsiSultan Qaboos University
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Franz FeinerFeiner Services
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Alessandro TofaniIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) - Sezione di Pisa
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shahid aliCECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences
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James FreericksGeorgetown University
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Vanlalremruatpuia CAssam Don Bosco University
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Anubhav SwaroopBrainfuse
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Yue ZiYunVReaLab
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Mark XiaOpenLab Science
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HONG CHENIndependent Self-Iearner from Macau
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Chris ReigrutTeravation
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Michael WhisenantUinta County Public Health
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Nico UchytilUniversity of Minnesota - Twin Cities
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Thomas NguyenPalomar College
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José Luis TouronVirolai
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Ritwik KumarHigh School Student
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Ivette MoreiraIvette Moreira
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keo nhacaikeo nhacai
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Rod MilbrandtRochester Community and Technical College
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Nathan HardingSonoran Desert institute
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Syed PeeranThe Awty International School
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SAMUEL VIEIRA DOS SANTOSEscola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Maria de Nazaré
Materials by Discipline
- Classical Mechanics (350)
- Collections (63)
- Curriculum (43)
- Electricity and Magnetism (373)
- History (14)
- Mathematics (24)
- Measurement and Units (33)
- Modern Physics (352)
- Optics (203)
- Oscillations and Waves (226)
- Physics Education Research (15)
- Quantum Mechanics (156)
- Reference (19)
- Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (236)
- Vector Algebra (41)
Physics on the Web
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Did you build or rework an experiment for an upper-level physics lab? The SPS-AAPT ... - Instagram
Oct 15, 2026 03:08 PM PDT
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Norman McCubbin obituary | Particle physics - The Guardian
Oct 15, 2026 01:20 PM PDT
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Imaging with Zero Photons - Physics Magazine
Oct 15, 2026 09:33 AM PDT
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Two Durham Physics staff members receive 2026 IOP awards
Oct 15, 2026 08:31 AM PDT
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Lakeland University receives $1 million Ronald Scheele estate gift - The Sheboygan Press
Oct 15, 2026 08:22 AM PDT
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25 XJTLU scholars listed among the world's top 2% scientists - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Oct 15, 2026 07:42 AM PDT
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Student-led physics conference highlights undergraduate research
Oct 15, 2026 04:45 AM PDT
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Prof. Stephen Dooley Secures €482k for Sustainable Aviation Research Programme
Oct 15, 2026 04:26 AM PDT
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Scientists move a step toward quantum computers that can correct their own mistakes
Oct 15, 2026 03:12 AM PDT
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Birmingham Chemist elected fellow of American Physical Society
Oct 15, 2026 01:16 AM PDT
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Physicist Tristan Smith Elected American Physical Society Fellow - Swarthmore College
Oct 14, 2026 06:33 PM PDT
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#AAPTSM18 Recap #1 – “Can We Have a Group Test?”
Aug 07, 2018 02:55 PM PDTSaturday July 28 “Can We Have a Group Test?” Designing Collaborative, Active, Alternative Assessments for Physics Classes (Kelly O’Shea, Danny Doucette) On Saturday, I attended Kelly O’Shea’s and Danny Doucette’s all-day workshop on lab practicums. All of their slides and … Continue reading →
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Day 65: Hour of Physics Code
Dec 11, 2014 05:14 PM PSTOriginally posted on Noschese 180: College-Prep Physics: I’ve been coding with my AP Physics classes for years. But in honor of this week’s Hour of Code, I tried VPython programming for the first time with my College-Prep class. We used the GlowScript version…
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Day 26: What Causes Gravity?
Oct 11, 2014 07:21 AM PDTOriginally posted on Noschese 180: College-Prep Physics: Even though we now have a mathematical relationship between mass and weight, we still don’t know what causes Earth’s gravitational pull. So first, we took a short survey: Download a copy here: GRAVITY Survey 2015 Then we…
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Day 16: Relative Motion
Sep 24, 2014 01:06 PM PDTOriginally posted on Noschese 180: College-Prep Physics: This year I decided to bring relative motion into my curriculum. It’s a unit in Preconceptions in Mechanics, a book I used a lot last year for introducing different types of forces. My hope is that vector…
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Day 13: A New Approach to Colliding Buggies
Sep 19, 2014 02:50 PM PDTOriginally posted on Noschese 180: College-Prep Physics: Modeling Instruction’s standard lab practicum for the constant velocity unit is colliding buggies. Lab groups take data to determine the speed of their buggy, then the buggies are quarantined and groups are paired up. Each group…
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Flappy Bird Physics Is Real Life?
Jan 30, 2014 03:39 PM PSTIf you don’t already know, Flappy Bird is the hot new mobile game right now. The premise is simple: navigate the bird through the gaps between the green pipes. Tapping the screen gives a slight upward impulse to the bird. … Continue reading →
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What Happened When I Gave Them the Answers
Nov 19, 2013 04:11 PM PSTOriginally posted on Noschese 180: [TL;DR – Not as much as I had hoped.] College-Prep Physics: Students came to class with the following question completed for homework: You are on a sleigh ride in Central Park one brisk winter evening. The mass…
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Quizzes vs. Projects (Mass & Weight Edition)
Nov 16, 2013 07:09 PM PSTTests are evil, let them do projects. That type of rhetoric frequently appears in my Twitter stream. My gut reaction is hell yeah. But some recent quiz results have gotten me thinking …. Take for example, this learning objective: The … Continue reading →
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Edtech PR Tips
Jul 14, 2013 10:54 AM PDTI’m not a PR guy. I’m just a teacher. But they say that if you want to be a disruptor, the best experience is no experience. So here goes… 1. It’s not about the technology. It’s about what students are … Continue reading →
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Convincing Reluctant Teachers
Jul 11, 2013 09:00 PM PDTThis question was posted to Twitter today: Question: how do you convince teachers who are ADAMANT that they teach to the rigor required by CCSS that they really don’t? (CCSS means Common Core State Standards) This is a great question. … Continue reading →