physics

Classical Mechanics

Newton's laws in action — projectiles, springs, collisions, and rotation. The physics that governs everything from falling apples to orbiting planets.

classical mechanicsNewton's lawsprojectile motionharmonic oscillatorcollisionsrotational inertia

Classical mechanics is the foundation of all physical science. Formulated by Newton in 1687, its three laws describe how forces produce motion — from the arc of a thrown ball to the wobble of a gyroscope. Despite being over 300 years old, Newtonian mechanics remains the workhorse of engineering, robotics, and space exploration.

These simulations bring the equations to life. Launch projectiles through air resistance, watch a spring-mass system trace perfect sinusoidal paths, slide blocks down inclined planes with friction, smash objects together in elastic and inelastic collisions, and spin objects to discover rotational inertia. Every simulation solves the real differential equations in real time.

5 interactive simulations

simulator

Friction on Inclined Plane Simulator

Slide a block down a ramp with adjustable friction — explore static vs kinetic friction, critical angles, and the physics of everyday surfaces

simulator

Elastic & Inelastic Collision Simulator

Smash objects together and observe conservation of momentum and energy — from perfect elastic bounces to completely inelastic collisions where objects stick together

simulator

Projectile Motion with Air Resistance

Launch projectiles through realistic air resistance and watch how drag transforms the perfect parabola of vacuum physics into the asymmetric arcs of the real world

simulator

Rotational Inertia & Angular Momentum Simulator

Spin objects of different shapes and mass distributions to discover rotational inertia — why figure skaters spin faster when they pull in their arms

simulator

Spring-Mass Harmonic Oscillator

Watch a spring-mass system oscillate in simple, damped, and driven modes — the fundamental model behind clocks, circuits, and quantum mechanics