Misconception: Skydiver goes up when parachute opens
When a parachute opens, many people think the parachutist suddenly shoots upward. This is not what really happens. The parachutist is always moving downward, but the parachute...
GeoGebra
RC Circuit
Open in new tab 🔗 This is meant for the A-level topic of Circuits, for which students have to describe and represent the variation with time, of quantities like current, charge...
3D view of forces on parallel currents using GeoGebra
Open in new tab 🔗 The simulation serves to show how the magnetic field of one current-carrying wire exerts a force on another current-carrying wire. When two wires are placed...
Kinematics Graphs Interactive
Understanding motion in physics often involves analyzing displacement, velocity, and acceleration graphs. With the interactive GeoGebra graph at this link , you can dynamically...
Symposium on Tech for Engagement at SISTC 2024
This deck of slides are the ones I will be using for the Symposium on "Leveraging Technology for Engaging and Effective Learning" at the Singapore International Science Teachers'...
DC Circuits Practice
The simulation below allows students to practise calculating potential differences and currents of a slightly complex circuit, involving three different modes that can be toggled...
Representing a Longitudinal Wave Graphically
I modified an existing simulation to demonstrate how the displacement of particles along a longitudinal wave can be represented in graphical form. Essentially, one would have to...
Simulation of a Bouncing Ball
While I have shared a simulation of a bouncing ball made using Glowscript before , I felt that one made using GeoGebra is necessary for a more comprehensive library . It took a...
LOL Diagram Template using GeoGebra
Direct link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/u2m3gnzj The above is a GeoGebra applet that can be customised for any energy problem. Simply make a copy of it and change the values or...
Snell's Law Self-Assessment
My third applet today is a self-assessment tool for students to practise calculations with Snell's Law, i.e. $n_1 \sin{\theta_1} = n_2 \sin{\theta_2}$. The direct link to the...
Where is the Fish? A Refraction Simulation
I have seen a few simulations for apparent depth but was not satisfied with them. So I created this from scratch for use in tomorrow's lesson. The positions of the eye and image...
Reflection with a Plane Mirror
This applet allows for students to visualise the conditions under which a reflection can be seen in a mirror. When the mirror is too short, for instance, the point of reflection...
Function Generator and Oscilloscope GeoGebra Applet
Direct link to GeoGebra: https://www.geogebra.org/m/e87sbuy8 I translate the wonderful applet done by Gilles Claudel at https://www.geogebra.org/m/AXY9QRs5 from French into...
Simple Harmonic Motion perspectives
This is a common example used in the JC1 topics of Oscillations, where if one were to look at an object moving in circles from the side view, it will appear to move in simple...
Displacement-time graph with animation
This displacement-time graph is used in conjunction with an SLS package to help students learn how to describe motion of an object and to use gradient of a tangent to calculate...
Vector Addition
I made some refinement to an applet created last year to demonstrate how vector addition can be done either using vector triangle or parallelogram methods. To access directly in...
Unit Conversion Self-Practice
This new applet is designed for students to practise conversion of common units used in physics on their own. There is a checking algorithm within, which might need some...
Standard Form and Prefixes
This little applet is designed to allow students to change the order of magnitude and to use any common prefix to observe how the physical quantities are being written. To view...
Appreciating the least square method of determining best-fit line
This interactive is designed to help students understand the statistical approach underpinning the drawing of a best-fit line for practical work. For context, our national exams...
Docking with Tides
Did this simple interactive upon request by a colleague who is teaching the JC1 topic of Oscillations. Based on the following question, this is used as a quick visual to...
Purpose of Fuse and Earth Wire
https://www.geogebra.org/m/pmatpapk This applet highlights the parts of a circuit that becomes live depending on the state of a switch and the type of electrical fault in a...
Internal Resistance and Terminal Potential Difference
https://www.geogebra.org/m/puvfjxk5 This applet demonstrates how terminal potential difference (as measured by the voltmeter across the terminals of the battery) changes depending...
Sky-Diving and Terminal Velocity
https://www.geogebra.org/m/wavar9bx This is a wonderful applet created by Abdul Latiff, another Physics teacher from Singapore, on how air resistance varies during a sky-dive with...
Potential Divider with Thermistor Applet
The wonderful thing about GeoGebra is that you can whip up an applet from scratch within an hour just before your lesson and use it immediately to demonstrate a concept involving...
Newton's 2nd Law Applet
For a full-screen view, click here . <iframe scrolling="no" title="Dynamics Problem"...
Equation of Motion App
Access the app in full screen here: https://www.geogebra.org/m/mfvvhjrj This app is designed to give students practice in interpreting velocity-time graphs with various scenarios,...
3D Virtual Experiment - Simple Pendulum
This is a simple virtual experiment with a 3D view, allow teachers to explain the simple concepts of an oscillation experiment, such as which view is best to measure timing of the...
3D Virtual Experiment on Torsional Pendulum
In preparation for HBL in 2022, I designed a simple virtual experiment that will allow for students to collect data on oscillations using their own stopwatches and investigate the...
Multiple Representation of Vertical Throw
One common misconception among new learners of kinematics is that acceleration of an object being thrown upward is zero at the top of the path when it is momentarily at rest. I...
Movement of charged particle in parallel E and B fields
Access via https://www.geogebra.org/m/erehat7n for a full-screen view.
Micrometer Screw Gauge - Self-Practice GeoGebra Applet
After completing the vernier calipers applet, I simply had to do a similar one for the micrometer. However, this was a lot more complex as the thimble's numbers are supposed to be...
Vernier Calipers - Self-Practice GeoGebra Applet
The aim of this applet is to help students who just learnt about zero errors in vernier calipers to get some practice of their own. Students just have to key in their answer into...
UX design considerations for GeoGebra apps
Having started with making interactive simulations or visualisation apps with Easy JavaScript Simulations (EJsS) under the guidance of Senior Specialist Lawrence Wee from ETD in...
Harmonics of Open and Closed Pipes
The following GeoGebra interactives demonstrate the first few harmonics of an open pipe and a closed pipe given a fixed velocity of sound (340m/s). The frequencies and wavelengths...
Equilibrium of a Wall Shelf
This GeoGebra interactive allows students to vary the position of the centre of gravity of a shelf in order to observe the changes of the other two force vectors. The position of...
Pressure Nodes and Antinodes
Access in full screen here: https://www.geogebra.org/m/xbknrstt I modified the progressive sound wave interactive into a stationary wave version. This allows students to visualise...
AC Power with Half-Wave Rectification
As a means of visualising what happens to the potential difference, current and power dissipated in an alternating current circuit with half-wave rectification, I have created the...
Root-mean-square Currents
The concept of root-mean-square values for Alternating Currents is challenging if students are to relate the I-t graph with the I rms value directly. They have to be brought...
Pressure-Distance Graph of a Sound Wave
This GeoGebra applet was modified from an existing applet to show the relationship between the pressure-distance and displacement-distance graph of a progressive longitudinal wave.
Simple harmonic motion graphs including energy
I have added two more graphs into the interactive animation. However, the app has become a bit sluggish when changing the period or amplitude. It still works smoothly when viewing...
Simple Harmonic Motion Graphs
Here's my attempt at animating 5 graphs for simple harmonic motion together in one page. From left column: $$v = \pm\omega\sqrt{x_o^2-x^2}$$ $$a = -\omega^2x$$ From right column:...
Thin Converging Lens App
Phase Difference
The first of two apps on Phase Difference allows for interaction to demonstrate the oscillation of two different particles along the same wave with a variable phase difference....
Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
I modified Tom Walsh's original GeoGebra app to add a moveable single oscillating particle for students to observe its movement along a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave....
Movement of Particle in a Wave
This GeoGebra app allows students to observe closely the movement of a particle in a progressive wave, with two possible directions of energy propagation. In a typical question,...
Non-Uniform Vertical Circular Motion
Using a chain of rubber bands, I swung a ball around in a vertical loop. This demonstration shows how the tension in an elastic band changes according to the position of the ball,...
Escape Velocity
Using the GeoGebra app above, I intend to demonstrate the relationship between total energy, kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy in a rocket trying to escape a...
Template for self-assessment questions
Here is a template that I might use to generate questions for students' self-assessment in future. Based on a query that one of the participants in a GeoGebra online tutorial...
Angular velocity
This GeoGebra app shows how angular velocity ω is the rate of change of angular displacement (i.e. $\omega=\dfrac{\theta}{t}$) and is dependent on the speed and radius of the...
Angular displacement
This GeoGebra app shows the relationship s = rθ . One activity I get students can do is to look at the value of θ when the arc length s is equal to the radius r . This would give...
Creating a simple interactive using GeoGebra
While preparing to share with some fellow teachers in Singapore about the use of GeoGebra in Physics, I came up with a set of simple instructions to create an interactive, while...
Forces in Equilibrium
While preparing for a bridging class for those JAE JC1s who did not do pure physics in O-levels, I prepared an app on using a vector triangle to "solve problems for a static point...
Using Loom and GeoGebra to explain a tutorial question
It's Day 1 of the full home-based learning month in Singapore! As teachers all over Singapore scramble to understand the use of the myriad EdTech tools, I have finally come to...
Two Body Problems in Dynamics
Problems involving two bodies moving together usually involve asking for the magnitude of the force between the two. For example: A 1.0 kg and a 2.0 kg box are touching each...
Template for Creating GeoGebra Animations
In an introductory sharing for the use of GeoGebra to my colleagues, I have prepared a simple template for them to try their hands at animations of points and other elements. You...
Relationship between displacement-time and velocity-time graphs
Through this GeoGebra app, students can observe how the gradient of the displacement-time graph gives the instantaneous velocity and how the area under the velocity-time graph...
Instantaneous vs Average Velocity
This GeoGebra app allows students to observe the difference between instantaneous and average velocity from a graphical perspective.
Work Done Simulation
This GeoGebra app allows users to change the magnitude and direction of the force acting on an object, as well as the initial velocity. The change in kinetic energy is calculated...
Uniform vertical circular motion
The following GeoGebra app simulates the force vectors on an object in uniform vertical circular motion. A real world example of this would be the forces acting on a cabin in a...
Vertical Non-Uniform Circular Motion
This is a simulation that shows the vectors of forces acting on an object rolling in a vertical loop, assuming negligible friction. To complete the loop, the initial velocity must...
Aircraft Turning in a Circle: a 3-D Visualisation with GeoGebra
This GeoGebra app is a 3-D visualisation tool of the force vectors acting on an aircraft turning with uniform circular motion in a horizontal plane. I prepared this in advance as...
Hydrostatic Pressure and Upthrust
This app is used to demonstrate how a spherical object with a finite volume immersed in a fluid experiences an upthrust due to the differences in pressure around it. Given that...
Phase Difference GeoGebra Apps
I created a series of GeoGebra apps for the JC topics of Waves and Superposition, mainly on the concept of Phase Difference. The sizes of these GeoGebra apps are optimised for...
GeoGebra in SLS
Useful Links for Learning about using GeoGebra in SLS. Instructions on how to embed GeoGebra into SLS via iframe (recommended) (Method 1). Instructions on how to upload GeoGebra...
Idealized Stirling Cycle
I created a new GeoGebra app based on an ideal Stirling Cycle (A. Romanelli Alternative thermodynamic cycle for the Stirling machine , American Journal of Physics 85, 926 (2017))...
Embedding GeoGebra Apps into SLS
Teachers in Singapore have been provided with the Student Learning Space (SLS) - an online platform meant for students' self-directed learning using MOE's curriculum-aligned...
Geogebra App on Maximum Power Theorem
GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/hscshcj8 This simulation demonstrates the power dissipated in a variable resistor given that the battery has an internal resistance (made...
Geogebra Simulation of a Potentiometer
Some of the more challenging problems in the topic of electricity in the A-level syllabus are those involving a potentiometer. The solution involves the concept of potential...
Geogebra Apps for Singapore Physics
I've curated a series of Geogebra apps that are relevant and useful for the instructional objectives under the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' and 'A' level syllabi. Some of these...
Box on a Vertical Oscillating Spring - Geogebra App
GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/ev62ku7w Students can explore how varying frequency and amplitude of the vertical oscillation of a platform could cause an object resting...
PV Diagram for an Ideal Gas
GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/xyqhfvyw Applying the 1st Law of Thermodynamics to 4 simple changes on an ideal gas, students can check their understanding using this...
Geogebra App for Kinematics
As one of the first topics in A-level physics, kinematics introduces JC students to the variation of velocity and displacement with acceleration. Very often, they struggle with...
Geogebra Apps for Gravitation
GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/hzfyjejx GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/jmqytcsc
Wavefront
In order to help students visualise a wavefront, a 3-D image is usually used to show the imaginary line joining particles in phase. I created the GeoGebra apps below to allow...
Graphs of a Progressive Wave - Geogebra App
GeoGebra link: https://www.geogebra.org/m/f7faw3r6 This simple Geogebra app allows students to observe the oscillation of a particle perpendicular to the direction of energy...
Centre of Gravity and Stability - Geogebra App
This Geogebra app allows students to explore how the position of the centre of gravity as well as the width of its base affect the stability of an object.
Velocity-Displacement Graph of a Simple Harmonic Oscillator - Animation
This animation is made using Geogebra. It shows the instantaneous velocity and displacement vectors of a particle undergoing simple harmonic motion while tracing its position on...
Velocity of a Wave - Simulation
Try using the values in this simulation to find the velocity of this wave! Let me have your answer in the comment section! Update on 21 August 2018: The latest iteration of this...
Geogebra Simulation for Particle on a Transverse Wave
I am once again exploring the use of Geogebra to create simulations for Physics. This is what I managed to put together. It serves to help students visualise how a particle in a...