New GeoGebra tool boxes for application in Physics
MAKING GEOGEBRA EASY FOR PHYSICISTS
GeoGebra has become an oustanding resource called to cause a great impact on the teaching learning process, and not only within the original framework it was designed for, i.e. Dynamic Mathematics, but for some others such as Physics, Drawing and Technology, as well where GeoGebra has to compete with other tools.
Within the scope of the teaching and learning Physics processes, the most relevant role for GeoGebra is that of becoming a simulator of physical fenomena.
After having developed some simulators using the current GeoGebra tools, I was aware that in order to succeed in the task of disseminating GeoGebra usage among Physics teachers it was necessary to turn GeoGebra into a more comfortable environment for such an application. Therefore, it seemed necessary to develop new tool boxes involving tools easy to use: springs, pendulums, inclined planes, resistors, meaurement devices, lenses, cards, etc.
I woud like to share with all GeoGebra community a new and wider GeoGebra configuration, ready to be used for some applications within the field of Physics. Of course, it is only a sample but, from my point of view, it would be advisable to start a more ambitious project aiming at developing a complete set of tools for such applications.
If you click on Download ".ggb", you can download the .ggb file
When you open the file with GeoGebra, you can see three new tool boxes with some new tools thal will help Physics teachers to develop simulators for nd you can use it under the same Creative Commons licence as the original GeoGebra
The first tool box is devoted to applications in the field of Mechanics. Let us describe how to deal with them:
Vertical spring: It is a tool to create a vertical spring aiming at studying either the Hooke's law or the spring vertical oscillations under the action of a force:
To work with that tool just click on two different points on the same horizontal line, and then give a number for the spring length. Alternatively you can create previously one slider for the initial spring length and another one for the spring stretching or some variable that control de spring stretching. If you use both parameters, the spring length must be the sum of both slider features. Do not forget hiding the initial points, since they are not necessary any more
Pulling spring: It works in a similar way but, in this case, it is not necessary for the initial points to be on the same horizontal line, and the parameter previously mentioned are introduced independently:
Compression spring: When working in compression problems it is advisable to use springs witt flat endings.
Inclined plane: To build an inclined plane you must draw, as usual, two poins in the same horizontal line. Then you will ask to give the slope especifying the inclination angle. Alternatively you can create previously a slider for the angle and write the name of the parameter in the dialogue box. The angle can only varies between 0º and 45º. If you want the plane to be inclined in the opposite sense you have to put the sign "-" before the angle in the dialogue box:
Simple pendulum: This tool is created by clicking on two different points in the same horizontal line, and providing the two pop up dialogue boxes with two numbers, one for the pendulum length and the other one for the angle you want to separate the pendulum from the vertical. After having created the pendulum you must hide the initial points.The angle is measured by GeoGebra from the horizontal, therefore, if you want to separate the pendulum 30º from the equilibrium position you must put, as the minimum value for the angle slider, 60º:
The second tool box is devoted to Electricity and, at the moment, I have only developed just a few tools:
Resistor: To include a resistor in your simulator, you must use the standard procedure of clicking on two different points of the graphical area. Then click on each one of the rings that surround the resistor and choose the colors you need to establish the desired value of the resistance:
Measuring devices and power supplies: They are inserted in two steps. The first one is merely decorative. You simply have to insert the tool by clicking on two different points of the graphical area. Then, you must insert a text on the device screen showing the calculated value of the quantity the device refers to:
The third box is for tools in the area of Optics and the already developed tools are just the set of thin lenses:
Thin lenses: They are defined by means of the two initial points I have been refering to so far, and a number indicating the lens focal length. The best thing to do, if you wish keep control on the lens power, is to create a slider that will allow you to vary the focal length, and then insert the lens or lenses by clicking on two points for each one of the lenses you need. Then you should hide all the unnecessary elements:
José Luis Hernández Neira; jlhernandezneira@educa.madrid.org; Regional Center for Innovation and Training (CRIF "Las Acacias")
