In the above example, the user may place any number of gearwheels in configurations of their own choosing. Any wheel can be rotated and those connected to it will also rotate. Some wheels are metal and some are plastic (the blue ones). An electric voltage can be applied to any and the metal ones conduct (indicated by the pink colour). Hence all gearwheels understand rotation but only some understand conduction.

Here the user can place any number of balls anywhere in the closed room. The balls fall downwards under gravity, bounce off the floor and walls, and also bounce of each other. Glancing collisions induce rotation in the balls, which gradually bounce to a halt. New balls can be introduced while the simulation is running. [Work of Richard Jones]

Here we have a magnetic solenoid connected to a battery by a wire. Below the solenoid, balls of three different materials are bouncing under the effect of gravity. One ball is non-magnetic. The other two respond to magnetism but by differing amounts.

The battery current can be interactively increased, with steadily increasing magnetic effect, eventually overcoming gravity. The magnetic balls are attracted upwards, the other is not.

In this example the connecting wire is physically moved. Even though the battery is turned on, no current reaches the solenoid. [Work of Li Zhang]

Back to Virtual Physics