Gravitational Fields This snippet lets the user explore the factors that determine the gravitational field

strength and the gravitational potential due to a body.The user will also learn how gravitational field strength and potential affect the gravitational pull and gravitational potential energy between two bodies. When to use it? As an introduction to the topic on gravity. The students can use this snippet to explore and build up concepts on gravitation. As a means to reinforce the concepts on gravity after the lectures.

Areas covered: Relationships between: gravitational field strength and distance from the body producing the gravitational field. gravitational field strength and mass of the body producing the gravitational field. gravitational force and gravitational field strength. gravitational force on a body and its mass. gravitational potential and distance from the body producing the gravitational field. gravitational potential and mass of the body producing the gravitational field. gravitational potential and gravitational potential energy. the mass of the body and its gravitational potential energy. Gravitational field due to two bodies Gravitational potential due to two bodies

Types of activities: Simulation activities: Users vary factors li e mass of bodies and distance between bodies. The results! such as the gravitational field strength! force and potential energy! are shown in form of graphs! vector drawings and text.

Screen shot": on gravitational field patterns due to two bodies

Screen shot #: relationship between gravitational strength and mass of a body

Screen shot $: relationship between gravitational strength and distance from a body %ultiple choice &uestions at the end of each activity to test the user's grasp of the concepts.

Dynamics in the lift: (n this snippet! the user finds out how )ewton*+s laws of motion are used to explain the *,change in weight*- experienced when traveling in an elevator. Features: Video (Introduction) .ideos showing the *,change in weight of a body*- when the elevator moves./See screen shot "0 Animation to distinguish between positive and negative acceleration. A &ui1 re&uiring the user to identify the type of acceleration a roc et has at various stages of its 2ourney. /See screen shot #0

/Screen shot "0 /Screen shot #0 Forces actin on a system 3xamples of the free body diagrams in common situations Glossary on different types of mechanical forces %ultiple choice &uestions: User is presented with a system of bodies and as ed to identify the correct set of forces that belong in the free body diagram of one of the bodes. /See screen shot $0

/Screen shot $0 Free !ody dia ram (n this activity! the user constructs! separately! free body diagrams for the man and the elevator in the elevator system.

/Screen shot 40 "oncept of resultant forces

/Screen shot 50 This animation shows6

1. how the free body diagram is applied to the man in the elevator. 2. the e&uation that expresses the relationship between the sum of the forces acting on the
man in the elevator and his acceleration.

3. how the e&uation is used to calculate the reaction force of the elevator on the man. 4. how the reaction force gives the man his sensation of weight.
#imulation

/Screen shot 70 The user varies the factors li e! the mass of the body in the elevator! the initial velocity of the elevator and the acceleration of the elevator. The simulation then shows the resultant motion of the elevator and the *,weight of the body*- measured by a weighing device in the elevator. The simulation is followed by an activity in which user calculates the apparent weight of the body in an accelerating elevator.