#physics apps

As mobile devices and apps become more sophisticated, their usefulness to science lessons expand as well. Here are some teacher-recommended mobile apps that have aided science teachers in their instruction.

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Lab4Physics - Use the built-in sensors of your mobile device as a portable physics measurement lab tool. FREEMIUM

NOVA Elements - Learn the periodic table of elements with this interactive table, game, and two-hour NOVA program. FREE

Weather by Tinybop - Explore the elements that make up the weather - such as heat, water, and air - in this interactive weather simulation. PAID

Alchemie Connections - Play a series of challenging puzzles with stars and constellations to learn more about astronomy. PAID

pangaea - Watch the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea and the positions of the continents over the last 200 million years on a 3D globe. PAID

Want more? Check out these shelves of tools created by members like you.

Science Tools - Curated by technology educator and instructional designer Andrea Meyers.

Interactive Simulations - Curated by teachnology integration specialist Jennifer Hettler.

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Physics is really considered to be complicated by many students. There are several Physics apps available in the market that can provide an effective education of the subject.

I tried them so you don't have to!

These are my own opinions, and other people may have different results, but I judge based on the idea that if I can't figure it out in five minutes and feel like it makes sense and is helpful based on my understanding of physics, then it is not a useful app. My goal is not to increase the frustration level of my students. 

If you have had a different experience with any of these apps, please let me know. I am always happy to be proven wrong about things like this. I got all of these from a list of "30 iPad Apps for Physics" on a blog, but I'm guessing the author did not do more than glance at most of the apps. These are the ones not to waste your time with.

1. CircularMotion

Impossible, frustrating, does not seem to have the functionality promised, and no matter how many times I play, always in "top 61%" with a rank of 0 and 0 other players.

2. Learn Physics

Allow me to show you an excerpt:

At no point does the translation get any better or the meaning any clearer.

3. Newton's Cradle: Physics++

Screen flickers, and you can't reset it to still without closing and re-opening the app, nor can you get back to the opening page. The balls overlap when you pull more than one back, which screws things up. The physics may be correct, but it is almost too real to the point where it's  distracting and doesn't even show the situation as well as an actual Newton's cradle.

4. iTeach Physics (Lite)

The lite version only comes with Units/Measurements/Dimensions, Motion, and Vectors unlocked. To unlock the rest costs $0.99. Looking through the ones that are unlocked, this is at best an equation reference app. It is heavy on equations, light on text, and the text is basically a sentence or two definition or explanation of the equation. What I see does not make it worth the buck to unlock the rest. It's not at a good level for 9th graders or AP, and the notation that they use is not familiar. Students would have to have a high level of abstract reasoning and algebraic sophistication to be able to deal with different variables than they are used to. Nor my 9th graders nor my AP students have that.

5. Revision 101

Even though i didn’t finish more than half of my applications >.<

Sigh, looks like I’m not going back home though.