A shockwave applet that provides both qualitative and quantitative demonstrations of vector addition.
Type of Material:
Shockwave Applet, Interactive Demo
Technical Requirements:
Shockwave plugin is needed.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Understanding of and practice with vector addition.
Target Student Population:
Introductory physics and math, high school and lower level undergrad
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Introduction to vectors
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This item fulfills its goals well. It is complete, numerical and visual. It includes both Cartesian and Polar coordinates so that students can check their work on problems.
Concerns:
This applet addresses a single, very specific set of problems, vector addition. However, this is crucial in learning physics.
General Comments on Quality: This applet focusses upon an important step in learning physics, the understanding of vectors and vector addition. This tool gives students a "pictorial" vector calculator that will give them pratice in these problems.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Recommended Use(s) for Material (used for Effectiveness Review): In-class Demo, Student exercises
This applet is both qualitative and quantitative. It is also quite interactive, inviting student exploration. It is a good demonstration of a single topic, vector addition. Graphical representations of the components of the vectors can be turned on to reinforce vector addition by components.
Concerns:
Students will probably need some guidance, such as exercise sheets, to fully explore the different aspects of this item. There are many possible ways to use this item.
General Comments on Effectiveness: The applet can be used in introductory physics classes at just about any level.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
This applet is simple and intuitive. Instructions on using the applet are included. The use of Cartesian and Polar coordinate systems, and the graphical representation of vectors and their components, makes this item useful for different approaches to learning vector addition.
Concerns:
None
General Comments on Usability: This is a very clean, attractive applet.
Creative Commons:
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