Simulation for DIY in Physics

Question

I am trying to build a software for college kids to learn physics concepts through experiemnt. e.g. try different angles to hit a moving object (to understand theory of projectiles); have moving bodies of varying speeds/ mass collide to understand collision better etc. Need to build realistic experiments( more 2D/3D look and feel). Is there any freeware to do this?

Answer 1

That makes me recall of Gorilla from Microsoft DOS.

Answer 2

Physics for Game Developers may be of interest. From the linked page:

Colliding billiard balls. Missile trajectories. Cornering dynamics in speeding cars. By applying the laws of physics, you can realistically model nearly everything in games that bounces around, flies, rolls, slides, or isn't sitting still, to create compelling, believable content for computer games, simulations, and animations

It doesn't use open-source physics/games frameworks, but covers all the low-level physics coding.

Answer 3

The Open Dynamics Engine is a good games physics engine you might want to look at.

Answer 4

Never heard of any freeware software that does this, but there are certainly many physics simulation frameworks in several languages. Most of them use Verlet integration. Here are some physics engines:

• APE: 2d engine written in actionscript, supports softbodies like springs
• box2dflash: 2d engine also written in actionscript, based in box2d written in C. supports only rigid bodies
• phys2D: 2d engine written in java
• jbullet: java port of the bullet 3d engine
• fun-motion: not a physics engine but lists several physics based games. Really worths checking since you may find some game that does what you want
• my physics lab: also not an engine but has some java examples of mass-springs systems, etc.

Answer 5

Check out the Chipmunk 2-D Physics SDK. - I found it incredibly easy to get started based on the existing demos.

You could easily set up a few bodies with initial masses, positions and velocities, and use the keyboard or mouse to adjust the properties, then start simulating.