HR: 1340h
AN: ED13C-1164    [Abstracts]
TI: A Coriolis Demonstration Using a 3-D Interactive Computer Model of a Physical Demonstration
AU: * Urbano, L
EM: lurbano@memphis.edu
AF: University of Memphis, Department of Earth Sciencs 1 Johnson Hall, Memphis, TN 38152
AU: Houghton, J
EM: jhoughtn@memphis.edu
AF: University of Memphis, Department of Earth Sciencs 1 Johnson Hall, Memphis, TN 38152
AB: The coriolis effect can be a difficult concept, particularly for large classes where the effectiveness of physical demonstrations is limited by visibility. We developed a fully interactive computer visualization aimed at introductory undergraduate and pre-college students based on the physical demonstration of a marble rolling across a turntable. The marble's velocity, turntable angular velocity and direction, and friction between the marble and the surface can be controlled to allow significant instructional flexibility. Pre and post-demonstration surveys indicate that the coriolis model helped students better understand the concept. This program is written in the free, open-source Python programming language, specifically with the VPython module, which makes three-dimensional, physically-based, real-time visualizations efficiently programmable for geoscience demonstrations by non-professional programmers.
UR: http://des.memphis.edu/lurbano/vpython/VPython_models.html
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
DE: 4508 Coriolis effects
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005