Review for:My Solar System

posted: on March 19, 2007 at 3:27PM

Physics

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

My learning goal was for the students to see how the abstract concepts of gravitation play out in a "real world" setting.

Honors or Advanced, Intro or Regular

The students used the simulator to investigate the need for the orbiting body to have tangental velocity to avoid hitting the orbited body. They observed the first two of Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion in action. They got to see gravity acting first hand, rather than just trying to visualize it.

Provides visualization or animation, Provides a virtual lab, Provides additional content, Provides assessment opportunity, Increases student engagement and motivation

I have used other gravity simulators, but they were either too detailed (the entire solar system and all the moons), or too limited (one body orbiting on other). This simulation is neither too detailed, not lacking in controls. You can adjust the mass of the objects, the number (up to four) and the initial velocity (magnitude and direction) of any object. Plus it comes with a number of presets like cometary orbits, binary star system, a sun, planet, moon system, etc.

Without adequate supervision and some clearly defined activities and goals, the students will play with the simulation without seeing then underlying complexity and beauty that Kepler and Newton saw in their observations of the planets and moons.