GENERAL

Amusement Park Physics ('H')
The forces behind the fun -- students learn about the laws of physics by investigating their applications to amusement park rides in this excellent site from the Anneneberg/CPB Project Exhibits Collection. Students can design their own rollercoaster, use suggestions for experiments that simulate the laws that apply to amusement park rides. There is also a physics glossary.
www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/

Bang Boing Pop
Site takes you on a journey through the basic principles of physics, and includes quizes with which to test your knowledge. Created by high school students for the ThinkQuest Web design competition.
tqd.advanced.org/3042/

Collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter
From Institute for Scientific Computation Texas A&M University. Includes FAQs for pre- and Post-Impact, and images. A good illustration of the application of physics to astonomy. Many other good sites linked here.
www.physics.sfasu.edu/astro/sl9.html

Control the Nuclear Power Plant
This JAVA game allows visitors to control the valves in a nuclear power plant to avert catastrophe.
www.ida.liu.se/~her/npp/demo.html

COOL Cosmos: The Infrared Universe ('E' 'M' 'H') (Standards) Clever, imaginative site from which to learn about infrared light through fun games, movies, images, and more with classroom and individual activities. Lesson plans/activities correlated with National Science Standards.
coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/

Einstein Revealed
Excellent Web site tying into the PBS television series NOVA that explores the life and theories of Albert Einstein.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/nova/einstein/

Science, Optics and You ('M' 'H')
Rich resource with online teacher guides and student activities. The site "is a science curriculum package ... for teachers, students, and parents. ...activities are designed to promote the asking and answering of questions related to light, color, and optics. The program begins with basic information about lenses, shadows, prisms, and color, leading up to the use of sophisticated instruments scientists use to help them understand the world. The goal ... is for students to acquire the skills with which they can do microscopic analysis of a variety of samples in multiple ways." Part of the Molecular Expressions website by Florida State University in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/index.html
Teacher resources: micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/activities/teachers/index.html

The Gravity Tutorials ('H')
Designed by the physics department of The Curtin University of Technology. This site offers lessons on the history of physics and quizzes divided by difficulty. All lessons offer animated examples and section-ending quizzes.
www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/phys-sci/gravity/index2.htm

How Lasers Work ('H')
Includes the laser/atom connection, different lasers, and wavelengths.
science.howstuffworks.com/laser.htm

Interactive Physics and Math with JAVA ('H')
Contains many JAVA animations illustrating physics concepts.
www.lightlink.com/sergey/java/index.html

Learn Physics Today ('H')
Comes with its own calculator. Designed by students for the ThinkQuest Web design competition.
library.thinkquest.org/10796/

Optics ('E' 'M' 'H')
NASA educator's guide contains activities for grades K-12 in Science and Math. It has color and light activities using lenses, prisms, hidden messages, periscopes, and kaleidoscopes.
Teacher resources: spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/NASA.Educational.Products/Optics/

The Physics Classroom ('H')
The Physics Classroom contains a number of lessons relating to the topics of 1-D kinematics; Newton's Laws; vectors; momentum; and work, energy and power. Contains many example problems and diagrams.
Teacher resources: www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/BBoard.html

The Physics Connection
Entertainingly written site that explores physics "tricks," several example problems and their solutions, and more.
www.servtech.com/public/wkimler/

Physics is Phun ('H')
An engaging site developed by an Australian high school class and their physics teacher. It contains explanations of many physics concepts, related questions and answers. Part of the Thinkquest library..
library.thinkquest.org/10139/

Playground Physics ('E' 'M')
A rare thing: a physics site that offers activities for upper elementary and middle school students. Contains lesson plans relating physics concepts to the playground.
lyra.colorado.edu/sbo/mary/play/

Reeko's Mad Science Lab ('E' 'M')
Offers experiments relating to physics. Experiments include flotation, light refraction, gravity, and inertia/momentum.
Teacher resources: www.spartechsoftware.com/reeko/

Sciences Explorer: Physics ('H')
Good collection of resources. "The Sciences Explorer presents quality interactive material on the topics of biology, physics, chemistry, and math. Activities such as 3-D tours, crossword puzzles, conversion tables, and calculator programs are fun and smart!" From the Thinkquest competition.
library.thinkquest.org/11771/english/hi/physics/

Scientific American Search Engine ('H')
Fantastic resource: type keywords into this search engine in order to locate articles on a desired topic from the Scientific American database.
www.sciam.com/search/

Simple machines ('E' 'M') (Standards)
As the site says: "Learn about simple and compound machines while you explore the House and Tool Shed!" Includes teacher guide, printable activities, pre and post tests. Recommended for grades 2-6. Correlated to National Science Standards. By Edheads.
www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/index.htm
Teacher resources: www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/sm-teacher.htm