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Motion in 2D

Try the new "Ladybug Motion 2D" simulation for the latest updated version. Learn about position, velocity, and acceleration vectors. Move the ball with the mouse or let the simulation move the ball in four types of motion (2 types of linear, simple harmonic, circle).

Not standalone  
See changelog
Version 1.06
849 KB
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Topics Teaching Ideas Software Requirements Translated Versions Credits

Topics

Main Topics

  • Motion
  • Acceleration
  • Velocity

Related Topics

Sample Learning Goals

  • Is the velocity vector blue or green? How can you tell?
  • Is the acceleration vector blue or green? How can you tell?
  • Explain why the velocity and acceleration vectors behave as they do for the preset motions (linear acceleation I, II, circular motion, & harmonic motion).

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Teaching Ideas

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide contains tips for teachers created by the PhET team (PDF).

Ideas and Activities for this Sim

There are 4 contributions listed.

Ascending Sort (Z-A)Title Author Level Type Updated
2D Motion Activity D. IsolaHSCQs1/09
Modeling a linear simple harmonic oscillator M. KellyUG-IntroLab4/08
Motion in Two Dimensions G. SwansonHSLab9/07
Vectors Phet Lab C. BiresHSLab11/08

Submit Your Ideas & Activities

Note: The maximum file size is 64M, with a maximum upload of 64M at a time.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

title*
file(s)
grade level(s)*
Check the PhET design guidelines (PDF)

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Software Requirements

Java Icon

Windows Systems Macintosh Systems Linux Systems
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

 OS 10.4.11 or later
Apple Java 1.5.0_19 or later

 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

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Translated Versions

Run localized Download
Arabic Arabic Download
Bulgarian Bulgarian Download
Chinese Taiwan Chinese, Taiwan Download
Croatian Croatian Download
Dutch Dutch Download
Estonian Estonian Download
French French Download
Greek Greek Download
Italian Italian Download
Khmer Khmer Download
Polish Polish Download
Portuguese Portuguese Download
Serbian Serbian Download
Spanish Spanish Download
Turkish Turkish Download
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Vietnamese Vietnamese Download

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Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Sam Reid (developer)
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