Physlets: This is the contribution of Dr Scott Schneider, associate professor of physics at Lawrence Technological University. On this page, Dr Schneider has offered Java Applets that can be used to better understand various physics concepts. The Java Applets used to describe physics concepts are referred to as PHYSLETs. There are over 100 Physlets on the site.

Those interested in using the applets offline can follow the steps mentioned at the corresponding link on the site. It is recommended to go through the links under the “Introduction to using Physlets” title to be able to make the most of this site. Kinematics—One Dimensional Motion, Kinematics—Two/Three Dimensional Motion, Torques and Countertorques, Rotational Kinematics and Dynamics, Momentum—explosions/collisions, Optics, Harmonic Motion, ElectroStatics, DC circuits, and Magnetic Fields are some of the topics under which Physlets are available. Some of the applets are not Dr Schneider’s creation, and all these have been credited to their creators. Needless to say, the applets by themselves do not have any significant educational values, since without knowledge of the underlying concepts it would not be possible to make any fruitful use of the applets nor comprehend the results.

Unfortunately, only a few applets are accompanied by a detailed explanation about the phenomenon shown. So a student would have to rely on another source of information to gain the basic knowledge to be able to optimally use the applets offered on this page. Some of the applets are part of a questionnaire, while the rest are sandbox type applications that allow the student to change different parameters and observe the changes. Since applets only work when online, Dr. Schieder has created an application that allows the applets to be used even when offline. This application and its usage instructions can be accessed from the link on the page. Unfortunately, the application is not selective and downloads all applets in one go without offering the user a choice regarding which applets to download.

Once downloaded, the files are organised in folders. The applets can be lauched by opening the index.html file in the main folder. In conclusion, the collection of applets on the site are helpful if used in conjunction with regular educational material. These can increase the comprehension of a concept due to the ability to allow the user to experiment with the parameters. They are a good example of exploitation of the power of the internet to create a more lively learning environment.

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