Physicsclassroom.com: A Comprehensive Resource for Teachers and Students

Physics is perhaps the most complex of the sciences. It poses a great challenge to students, who need to grasp intricate theories about matter and energy. The Physics Classroom is a well-organized site aimed primarily at students, but with features teachers can use to supplement their lessons. The site is well-organized, broken down into three sections: Read-Watch-Interact, Practice-Review and Teacher Tools.


The Physics Classroom

Read-Watch-Interact

Common physics topics, including Newton’s Laws, Thermal Physics, and Static Electricity, comprise the Physics Tutorial section, which includes a substantial amount of content. Each topic is broken down into individual lessons with subsections. Clicking each link will take you to the text of the lesson, which includes easy access to Student Extras and the Teacher’s Guide.


Lesson One on The Law of Motion


Animated demonstrations round out the Read-Watch-Interact section. Both the Multimedia Physics Studio and the Shockwave Physics Studio contain interactive files simulating important physics principles. These sections can provide great support to students who are visual learners and need to see physics principles in action.


An animation of Newton’s Law of Inertia

Practice-Review

This section supports the students and helps them assess what they’ve learned. Mind on Physics is probably the most extensive part of this section, with 1,300 questions intended to help students build and develop their knowledge of physics concepts. The section is broken into fifteen modules, with questions to develop critical thinking skills. Two different modes are available in Mind on Physics: teachers can use Credit Mode for assignments, while Practice Mode is student-directed for self-assessment.


Mind On Physics, organized by module


The rest of the section is organized with specific areas of focus. The Calculator Pad helps students hone their math skills by providing a collection of physics word problems. The Review Session has been designed to support the lessons from the Tutorial section. Materials to help students prepare for the ACT, a standardized exam considered for college admissions, are also available.

Teacher Tools

Teacher Tools


This section has three subsections: The Curriculum Corner, The Laboratory and The Photo Gallery. The Curriculum Corner’s materials are specifically designed to support the Physics Tutorial lessons. The worksheets are in PDF format, and organized by topic. Teachers can elect to download entire packets or select specific worksheets for student practice.


Static Electricity from the Curriculum Corner


As science is a hands-one discipline, requiring experiments to fully illustrate concepts and ideas, laboratory work is essential. The Laboratory section contains 150 labs with information on how to use and learn from them.


Experiments with One-Dimensional Kinematics


The final subsection, The Photo Gallery, contains images from Flickr. Organized by topic, the photos show physics in action, captured in authentic situations.


A sampling of physics in the real world