Review for:Vectors, Components (applet)If you used this resource in your own classroom, please add your review. posted: on January 17, 2007 at 8:27AM
My rating of this resource: ****
My experience using this resource: Physics
Topic I was teaching: Introduction to vectors (for projectile motion) Could also use this for vector forces.
My learning goal for which this resource was used: To have students quickly appreciate how an arrow (vector) can represent two orthogonal arrows (components)
Course Level: Intro or Regular
How I/my students used the resource: I put it up on the smartboard and we tried several vectors (approximately 2 minutes) Then we learned how to break a vector into components using SOHCAHTOA, and practiced on a vector, and checked our practice with this applet.
Value Added: Provides visualization or animation, Provides practice or tutorial
Strengths: While this is not all-encompassing, it does a fine job showing what it sets out to show: how a vector is broken into components. It's quick, it allows a teacher to choose to present "East of North" coordinates or not, it also allows teachers to show the vectors as a triangle. It also allows for radians or degrees.
Weaknesses: It loads slowly (but only in the beginning.) So it needs to be opened before the class. It also is not "scalable" meaning that if you want a vector of 10 "whatevers" it is pretty small. Additionally, it shows vectors with no units... which is multi-purpose, but if you have been stressing the idea that all numbers must have units, is counterproductive.
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Funded by NSF #0455795. Opinions expressed on this site are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the National Science Foundation.
Note: NSF funding for this project has ended and this site has been converted to a static archive of the working site; dynamic functionality including logging in, search, and posting have been disabled.