Students explore static electricity by rubbing a simulated balloon on a sweater. As they view the charges in the sweater, balloon, and adjacent wall, they gain an understanding of charge transfer. This item is part of a larger collection of simulations developed by the Physics Education Technology project (PhET). The simulations are animated, interactive, and game-like environments.

Why does a balloon stick to your sweater? Rub a balloon on a sweater, then let go of the balloon and it flies over and sticks to the sweater. View the charges in the sweater, balloons, and the wall.

CK-12 Basic Physics - Second Edition updates CK-12 Basic Physics and is intended to be used as one small part of a multifaceted strategy to teach physics conceptually and mathematically.

Context-rich problem for electrostatics in an introductory physics class. The instructional setting uses cooperative group problem solving.

Visualize the electrostatic force that two charges exert on each other. Observe how changing the sign and magnitude of the charges and the distance between them affects the electrostatic force.

Play hockey with electric charges. Place charges on the ice, then hit start to try to get the puck in the goal. View the electric field. Trace the puck's motion. Make the game harder by placing walls in front of the goal. This is a clone of the popular simulation of the same name marketed by Physics Academic Software and written by Prof. Ruth Chabay of the Dept of Physics at North Carolina State University.

This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism. The subject is taught using the TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) format which utilizes small group interaction and current technology. The TEAL/Studio Project at MIT is a new approach to physics education designed to help students develop much better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena.
Acknowledgements
The TEAL project is supported by The Alex and Brit d’Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in MIT Education, MIT iCampus, the Davis Educational Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Class of 1960 Endowment for Innovation in Education, the Class of 1951 Fund for Excellence in Education, the Class of 1955 Fund for Excellence in Teaching, and the Helena Foundation. Many people have contributed to the development of the course materials. (PDF)

This course is a graduate level subject on electromagnetic theory with particular emphasis on basics and applications to Nuclear Science and Engineering. The basic topics covered include electrostatics, magnetostatics, and electromagnetic radiation. The applications include transmission lines, waveguides, antennas, scattering, shielding, charged particle collisions, Bremsstrahlung radiation, and Cerenkov radiation.
Acknowledgments
Professor Freidberg would like to acknowledge the immense contributions made to this course by its previous instructors, Ian Hutchinson and Ron Parker.

Electromagnetic Theory covers the basic principles of electromagnetism: experimental basis, electrostatics, magnetic fields of steady currents, motional e.m.f. and electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations, propagation and radiation of electromagnetic waves, electric and magnetic properties of matter, and conservation laws. This is a graduate level subject which uses appropriate mathematics but whose emphasis is on physical phenomena and principles.

This course is the second in a series on Electromagnetism beginning with Electromagnetism I (8.02 or 8.022). It is a survey of basic electromagnetic phenomena: electrostatics; magnetostatics; electromagnetic properties of matter; time-dependent electromagnetic fields; Maxwell’s equations; electromagnetic waves; emission, absorption, and scattering of radiation; and relativistic electrodynamics and mechanics.

This activity from the Exploratorium provides instructions to build an electroscope, a device that detects electrical charge. Common, inexpensive materials including film canisters, 3-M Scotch Magic™ Tape, and a plastic comb are used to show the attractions and repulsions between positively and negatively charged objects. The site also provides an explanation of the results and suggestions for extension activities.

Use a series of interactive models and games to explore electrostatics. Learn about the effects positive and negative charges have on one another, and investigate these effects further through games. Learn about Coulomb's law and the concept that both the distance between the charges and the difference in the charges affect the strength of the force. Explore polarization at an atomic level, and learn how a material that does not hold any net charge can be attracted to a charged object. Students will be able to:

An interactive lecture demonstration intended to help students use physics reasoning to predict the outcome of a puzzling electrostatics demonstration.

This subject describes and illustrates computational approaches to solving problems in systems biology. A series of case-studies will be explored that demonstrate how an effective match between the statement of a biological problem and the selection of an appropriate algorithm or computational technique can lead to fundamental advances. The subject will cover several discrete and numerical algorithms used in simulation, feature extraction, and optimization for molecular, network, and systems models in biology.

In this course, the student will first learn about waves and oscillations in extended objects using classical mechanics. The course will then examine the sources and laws that govern static electricity and magnetism. A brief look at electrical measurements and circuits will help establish how electromagnetic effects are observed, measured, and applied. These topics lead to an examination of how Maxwell's equations unify electric and magnetic effects and how the solutions to Maxwell's equations describe electromagnetic radiation, which will serve as the basis for understanding all electromagnetic radiation, from very low frequency radiation emitted by power transmission lines to the most powerful astrophysical gamma rays. The course also investigates optics and launches a brief overview of Einstein's special theory of relativity. A basic knowledge of calculus is assumed. (Physics 102; See also: Biology 110, Chemistry 002, Mechanical Engineering 006)

Make sparks fly with John Travoltage. Wiggle Johnnie's foot and he picks up charges from the carpet. Bring his hand close to the door knob and get rid of the excess charge.

This is a PBL project that had students design, build, and explain an electrical device that would safely and accurately demonstrate their mastery of the principles of electricity and magnetism. It was specifically designed to help students increase their depth of knowledge of electrostatics, electrical circuits, and the fundamentals of electromagnetism and induction. The project required students to design an electrical prototype that (upon safety validation), could be built and used to authentically justify their level of mastery to local engineers, electricians, and other experts from the community. Note that the project was designed and delivered per the North Carolina honors Physics curriculum and it can be customized to meet your own specific curriculum needs and resources.

This course is an introduction to electromagnetism and electrostatics. Topics include: electric charge, Coulomb’s law, electric structure of matter, conductors and dielectrics, concepts of electrostatic field and potential, electrostatic energy, electric currents, magnetic fields, Ampere’s law, magnetic materials, time-varying fields, Faraday’s law of induction, basic electric circuits, electromagnetic waves, and Maxwell’s equations. The course has an experimental focus, and includes several experiments that are intended to illustrate the concepts being studied.
Acknowledgements
Prof. Roland wishes to acknowledge that the structure and content of this course owe much to the contributions of Prof. Ambrogio Fasoli.

This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism. The subject is taught using the TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) format which utilizes small group interaction and current technology. The TEAL/Studio Project at MIT is a new approach to physics education designed to help students develop much better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena.
Staff List
Visualizations:  
Prof. John Belcher
Instructors:  
Dr. Peter Dourmashkin  
Prof. Bruce Knuteson  
Prof. Gunther Roland  
Prof. Bolek Wyslouch  
Dr. Brian Wecht  
Prof. Eric Katsavounidis  
Prof. Robert Simcoe  
Prof. Joseph Formaggio
Course Co-Administrators:  
Dr. Peter Dourmashkin  
Prof. Robert Redwine
Technical Instructors:  
Andy Neely  
Matthew Strafuss
Course Material:  
Dr. Peter Dourmashkin  
Prof. Eric Hudson  
Dr. Sen-Ben Liao
Acknowledgements
The TEAL project is supported by The Alex and Brit d’Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in MIT Education, MIT iCampus, the Davis Educational Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Class of 1960 Endowment for Innovation in Education, the Class of 1951 Fund for Excellence in Education, the Class of 1955 Fund for Excellence in Teaching, and the Helena Foundation. Many people have contributed to the development of the course materials. (PDF)