Teaching Physics

Increase active learning by teaching physics with computational software

Traditional techniques of teaching physics focus on theory and experiments. However, modern physics education increasingly incorporates computational data analysis and math modeling.

This approach to teaching physics is made more accessible through computational software such as MATLAB^®, which can also increase active learning through hands-on experimentation and project-based learning.

MATLAB enables students to:

• Perform interactive simulations
• Solve problems numerically or analytically
• Extract, analyze, and visualize experimental data
• Model and simulate phenomena to build intuition
• Express and simulate equations to test hypotheses
• Simulate analytical models to test predictions

MATLAB is the foundation for numerical analysis and scientific computing in engineering and physics programs at more than 5,000 universities and colleges worldwide. MATLAB is also widely used throughout industry which means instructors who teach with MATLAB provide valuable skills that benefit students far beyond the physics classroom.

Teaching Materials

• Teaching Physics with MATLAB: Simulations and Experiments by Dr. Marie Lopez del Puerto (Webinar)
• Numerical Methods with MATLAB by Professor Steven Chapra (Curriculum Materials and Text Book)
• Numerical Computing in MATLAB by Cleve Moler (Free E-Book and Interactive Apps)
• Teaching Physics with MATLAB Through Project-Based Learning by Professor Chris Mellor (Webinar)
• Teaching Math and Physics with Symbolic Math Toolbox (Webinar)

Examples

• MATLAB and Computational Mathematics Tutorials (Tutorials)
• Modeling the Motion of a Double Pendulum (Example)
• Modeling the Velocity of a Paratrooper (Example)
• Analyzing and Visualizing Data with MATLAB 3:26 (Video)
• MATLAB in Physics (Lectures and Examples)
• MathExplorer: Learning Maths Using MuPAD for Engineering Students (Example)

See also: MATLAB apps, scientific computing with MATLAB, numerical analysis with MATLAB, analytical solution, MuPAD, Symbolic Math Toolbox