Interactive Java Applets (EDinfomatics) – by subject area and subtopics

About Java – extensive resource site about applets, with hundreds of downloadable versions

Physics - Physlets
Examples:

  • Composite centripetal force on a circular swing carousel – change period to 3 sec, press enter key, click box “Carousel with forces¿?
  • Formation of standing waves by two colliding waves – right click on image, type in f1=5 and f2=5, then press enter key (note: right click on image to pause and resume)
  • Thin lens optics – click and hold object tip to change its height and position. Move lens in the same way.
  • Debroglie Atom – to fit an integral number of waves around an atomic orbit; grab the orbit in the applet down the page and move it in and out. Wave turns green with integral.
  • Eignestates in a potential well (advanced) – drag (click and hold left mouse button) any corner of the well or the energy line to see effect on the wavefunction, with accompanying explanation. If the URL seems broken, try again later for their server at the Ecole Polytechnique in France does not always connect well.

Biology - Biolets
Examples:

  • Mitosis – hit “rewind¿? button when done, then use “step¿? button to go through sequence (note the arrow going vertically down at right of animation box)
  • Virtual Labs – click on “Animations¿? in top blue bar, then “Index¿? tab when the Animation Console pops up

Chemistry - Chemlets
Examples:

Earth Sciences - Earthlets
Examples:

Mathematics - Mathlets
Examples:

Engineering and Technology - Techlets
Examples:

Animations at Physical Sciences Information Gateway (PSIgate) – low to high level material on the web, with great search engine. In the Find box window, type in the desired search string (e.g., quantum applets), and hit the Go button. Alternatively, click on the Advanced Search link, enter the desired topic (e.g., quantum) in the Find box, select the subject area (e.g., All subjects, or Physics), and select Animations in the Resource Type pull down choices. Highly recommended, especially for advanced topics.

Subjects include (but not limited to):

Animations at EEVL Internet Guide to Engineering, Mathematics, and Computing – incredible extensive guide to online resources and course material from basic mathematics to topology, bioengineering and material engineering. To find applets in your desired area, click through layers of disciplines in the subject guide and then enter “applet¿? in the search window and unclick the “exact word¿? button. (If you do not get enough hits, particularly in engineering disciplines, try “interactive calculator¿? and unclick the “exact word¿? button, but click on “ANY¿? button). Highly recommended, especially for advanced topics.