Virtual physical science v3.0

Virtual Physical Science
National Single User Version 3.0

Installation and Overview

Brigham Young University

Table of Contents
Overview ..................................................................................................................1 System Requirements................................................................................................5 Installing VirtualPhysical Science ...............................................................................5 Getting Started .........................................................................................................6 Installation Notes and Known Issues ..........................................................................8

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Overview
Welcome to Virtual Physical Science, a set ofrealistic and sophisticated simulations covering chemistry, physics, and planetary motion. In these laboratories, students are put into a virtual environment where they are free to make the choices and decisions that they would confront in an actual laboratory setting and, in turn, experience the resulting consequences. These laboratories include simulations of inorganic qualitative analysis,fundamental experiments in quantum chemistry, gas properties, titrations, calorimetry, mechanics and planetary motion, density, circuits, and optics. This overview and the installation instructions are for the single user or student version of Virtual Physical Science v3.0. After installing the Virtual Physical Science simulations, the software is configured to access the laboratories either throughthe electronic workbook or by clicking on the Physical Science Laboratory door. The electronic workbook is designed to be used in conjunction with worksheets that are provided with the software and will most likely be the principle method for gaining access to the various laboratory simulations. However, students can also be given electronic assignments through the Web Connectivity Option that theyaccept inside the various laboratories and report their results back through the electronic lab book. These types of assignments are accessed by entering through the Virtual Physical Science door and providing a user name, password, and the URL address for the Y Science server. Details on receiving and submitting electronic assignments are given in the various laboratory user guides. It isstrongly suggested the user guides be reviewed before running the software. See the Getting Started section for more information on using Virtual Physical Science with the accompanying workbook. A brief description of the nine chemistry and physics laboratories found in Virtual Physical Science is given below. The mechanics laboratory provides students the flexibility to perform many fundamentalexperiments to teach the basic concepts of Newton’s laws and planetary motion that are easier to model in a simulated situation rather than a real laboratory. The ability to control the frictions, forces, and physical parameters of motion allows students the ability to easily use equipment that can be found in most instructional laboratories and some equipment that would be less readily available.Students are able to measure speeds and distances, describe the motion of objects using graphs, interpret data, understand our solar system, and gain a foundation for concepts in physics. These results can then be used to validate Newton’s laws; demonstrate the interplay between force and motion; calculate conservation of momentum; and study the intricacies of the solar system under variable initialconditions and parameters. A partial list of the experiments performed in the mechanics laboratory include projectile motion in uniform or radial gravity, ramp motion in uniform or radial gravity, the collision of multiple balls with elastic or inelastic collisions, a falling rod, and the motion of the planets and their moons in the solar system viewed from various perspectives. The difficulty level...