Washington	
  University	
  in	
  St.	
  Louis	
   	
   Algodoo	
  Project	
  
Introductory	
  Physics	
  Lab	
   	
   Fall	
  2015	
  
1	
  
	
  
Algodoo	
  Project	
  
About	
  Algodoo	
  
Algodoo	
  is	
  a	
  physics	
  simulator	
  that	
  is	
  available	
  for	
  free	
  from	
  Algoryx	
  Simulation	
  AB.	
  It	
  is	
  incredibly	
  
versatile	
  and	
  powerful	
  while	
  remaining	
  playful	
  and	
  easy	
  to	
  use.	
  After	
  a	
  few	
  minutes	
  of	
  tutorials,	
  you’ll	
  be	
  
amazed	
  at	
  what	
  you	
  can	
  create.	
  Check	
  out	
  algodoo.com	
  for	
  more	
  details	
  on	
  the	
  software.	
  Keep	
  reading	
  
this	
  manual	
  for	
  more	
  details	
  about	
  this	
  assignment.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
The	
  Assignment	
  
The	
  requirements	
  of	
  this	
  project	
  are	
  very	
  loose.	
  The	
  goal	
  is	
  for	
  you	
  (or	
  you	
  and	
  one	
  partner	
  in	
  your	
  lab	
  
section)	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  project	
  in	
  Algodoo	
  that	
  explores	
  some	
  topic	
  or	
  topics	
  that	
  you	
  have	
  studied	
  this	
  
semester	
  in	
  your	
  Intro	
  Physics	
  course.	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  chance	
  for	
  you	
  to	
  show	
  off	
  your	
  creativity	
  and	
  really	
  
impress	
  your	
  TA.	
  We	
  want	
  to	
  give	
  you	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  the	
  aspects	
  of	
  introductory	
  physics	
  
that	
  you	
  find	
  especially	
  appealing.	
  During	
  the	
  last	
  lab	
  meeting	
  of	
  the	
  semester,	
  you	
  will	
  present	
  your	
  
project	
  to	
  your	
  TA	
  and	
  a	
  small	
  group	
  of	
  other	
  students	
  and	
  turn	
  in	
  a	
  short	
  report.	
  If	
  you	
  create	
  the	
  
project	
  on	
  your	
  own,	
  you	
  will	
  write	
  your	
  report	
  on	
  your	
  own	
  and	
  present	
  your	
  project	
  on	
  your	
  own.	
  If	
  
you	
  create	
  your	
  project	
  with	
  a	
  partner,	
  you	
  will	
  write	
  a	
  single	
  report	
  as	
  a	
  team	
  and	
  present	
  the	
  project	
  
together.	
  
The	
  Presentation	
  
The	
  presentation	
  will	
  be	
  short	
  (5-­‐6	
  minutes)	
  and	
  informal.	
  You	
  will	
  present	
  your	
  project	
  to	
  your	
  TA	
  and	
  
about	
  one-­‐third	
  of	
  your	
  lab	
  section.	
  This	
  is	
  not	
  a	
  PowerPoint	
  presentation.	
  The	
  goal	
  of	
  the	
  presentation	
  
is	
  simply	
  to	
  show	
  off	
  how	
  your	
  project	
  works	
  and	
  what	
  it	
  does.	
  This	
  presentation	
  might	
  be	
  as	
  simple	
  as	
  
pressing	
  the	
  play	
  button	
  and	
  saying	
  a	
  few	
  words	
  as	
  you	
  watch	
  your	
  simulation	
  move	
  forward	
  in	
  time.	
  If	
  
your	
  project	
  requires	
  more	
  interaction	
  from	
  the	
  user,	
  you	
  would	
  want	
  to	
  demonstrate	
  exactly	
  what	
  the	
  
user	
  has	
  to	
  do.	
  If	
  your	
  project	
  is	
  a	
  game,	
  you	
  might	
  consider	
  teaching	
  your	
  TA	
  the	
  rules	
  and	
  having	
  a	
  
Washington	
  University	
  in	
  St.	
  Louis	
   	
   Algodoo	
  Project	
  
Introductory	
  Physics	
  Lab	
   	
   Fall	
  2015	
  
2	
  
	
  
face-­‐off.	
  Hopefully,	
  you	
  have	
  created	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  you’d	
  like	
  to	
  brag	
  about.	
  Think	
  of	
  the	
  presentation	
  as	
  
your	
  chance	
  to	
  brag	
  to	
  your	
  TA	
  and	
  your	
  classmates.	
  Your	
  TA	
  will	
  also	
  ask	
  you	
  at	
  least	
  one	
  question	
  
concerning	
  the	
  implementation	
  of	
  your	
  simulation	
  or	
  the	
  physics	
  topics	
  you	
  address.	
  
You	
  will	
  give	
  your	
  presentation	
  during	
  your	
  last	
  lab	
  meeting	
  of	
  the	
  semester.	
  This	
  lab	
  period	
  will	
  be	
  cut	
  
into	
  three	
  roughly	
  one-­‐hour	
  blocks.	
  You	
  will	
  have	
  to	
  attend	
  one	
  of	
  these	
  one-­‐hour	
  blocks	
  at	
  which	
  you	
  
will	
  give	
  your	
  presentation	
  and	
  watch	
  fellow	
  students	
  present	
  their	
  projects.	
  	
  
The	
  Report	
  
Just	
  like	
  the	
  presentation,	
  the	
  report	
  will	
  be	
  short	
  (less	
  than	
  2	
  pages)	
  and	
  informal.	
  It	
  will	
  consist	
  of	
  three	
  
sections.	
  
1. Objectives:	
  Begin	
  by	
  telling	
  your	
  TA	
  what	
  topics	
  from	
  this	
  semester	
  of	
  introductory	
  physics	
  are	
  
explored	
  in	
  your	
  project.	
  This	
  should	
  be	
  a	
  well-­‐written	
  sentence	
  or	
  paragraph,	
  not	
  a	
  list.	
  This	
  
paragraph	
  should	
  NOT	
  include	
  details	
  about	
  Algodoo.	
  
2. Implementation	
  &	
  Instructions:	
  This	
  section	
  is	
  about	
  how	
  your	
  objectives	
  are	
  met.	
  Detail	
  how	
  
you	
  built	
  your	
  scene	
  in	
  Algodoo.	
  What	
  objects	
  are	
  in	
  the	
  scene?	
  What	
  details	
  about	
  the	
  objects	
  
are	
  important?	
  How	
  do	
  you	
  model	
  real-­‐world	
  objects?	
  How	
  do	
  the	
  objects	
  move?	
  How	
  do	
  they	
  
interact?	
  Further,	
  how	
  does	
  the	
  user	
  actually	
  use	
  the	
  project?	
  Your	
  instructions	
  should	
  allow	
  
anyone	
  with	
  basic	
  knowledge	
  of	
  Algodoo	
  to	
  use	
  and/or	
  understand	
  your	
  project.	
  You	
  should	
  
detail	
  any	
  interaction	
  required	
  from	
  the	
  user.	
  You	
  should	
  point	
  out	
  where	
  the	
  users	
  should	
  
direct	
  their	
  attention.	
  If	
  your	
  project	
  is	
  a	
  game,	
  make	
  sure	
  you	
  include	
  the	
  rules	
  here.	
  
3. Observations	
  &	
  Conclusions:	
  You	
  can	
  really	
  think	
  of	
  this	
  as	
  a	
  reflection	
  on	
  your	
  project.	
  What	
  
did	
  you	
  learn	
  as	
  you	
  made	
  your	
  project?	
  Are	
  there	
  any	
  limitations	
  to	
  your	
  project	
  that	
  you	
  wish	
  
you	
  could	
  have	
  addressed?	
  Did	
  you	
  have	
  to	
  make	
  simplifying	
  assumptions	
  to	
  create	
  your	
  
project?	
  Are	
  there	
  any	
  parts	
  of	
  your	
  project	
  that	
  you	
  think	
  are	
  especially	
  interesting	
  or	
  
surprising?	
  This	
  should	
  contain	
  some	
  discussion	
  of	
  physics	
  and	
  likely	
  some	
  discussion	
  about	
  
Algodoo.	
  
Your	
  project	
  will	
  be	
  scored	
  on	
  the	
  quality	
  of	
  the	
  report,	
  the	
  quality	
  of	
  the	
  presentation,	
  and	
  the	
  
creativity	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  according	
  to	
  the	
  rubric	
  at	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  this	
  document.	
  Note	
  that	
  you	
  can	
  only	
  
score	
  25	
  points	
  for	
  creativity.	
  There	
  are	
  many	
  ways	
  that	
  we	
  use	
  to	
  quantify	
  your	
  creativity.	
  You	
  are	
  not	
  
expected	
  to	
  address	
  all	
  of	
  them.	
  In	
  fact,	
  attempting	
  to	
  address	
  all	
  of	
  the	
  items	
  in	
  the	
  creativity	
  section	
  
will	
  likely	
  leave	
  you	
  with	
  an	
  ugly,	
  overcomplicated	
  project.	
  
Plagiarism	
  
It	
  is	
  very	
  easy	
  to	
  find	
  pre-­‐made	
  Algodoo	
  scenes	
  online.	
  In	
  fact,	
  there’s	
  something	
  called	
  Algobox	
  on	
  
algodoo.com	
  that	
  contains	
  lots	
  of	
  projects.	
  If	
  you	
  present	
  someone	
  else’s	
  Algodoo	
  scene	
  in	
  whole	
  or	
  in	
  
part	
  as	
  your	
  own	
  without	
  giving	
  proper	
  credit,	
  you	
  are	
  committing	
  plagiarism.	
  If	
  your	
  TA	
  has	
  reason	
  to	
  
believe	
  that	
  such	
  academic	
  misconduct	
  has	
  occurred,	
  the	
  case	
  will	
  be	
  investigated	
  and	
  potentially	
  
reported	
  to	
  the	
  academic	
  integrity	
  officer	
  of	
  the	
  School	
  of	
  Arts	
  and	
  Science.	
  
Washington	
  University	
  in	
  St.	
  Louis	
   	
   Algodoo	
  Project	
  
Introductory	
  Physics	
  Lab	
   	
   Fall	
  2015	
  
3	
  
	
  
Getting	
  Help	
  From	
  TA’s	
  
Algodoo	
  is	
  installed	
  on	
  all	
  of	
  the	
  computers	
  in	
  the	
  physics	
  labs.	
  During	
  the	
  week	
  before	
  Thanksgiving,	
  all	
  
or	
  part	
  of	
  your	
  lab	
  section	
  is	
  designated	
  as	
  Algodoo	
  Practice.	
  In	
  addition,	
  there	
  will	
  be	
  open	
  sessions	
  
during	
  the	
  semester	
  at	
  which	
  you	
  may	
  work	
  on	
  your	
  project	
  on	
  the	
  lab	
  computers	
  and	
  get	
  a	
  little	
  bit	
  of	
  
help	
  from	
  TAs.	
  The	
  schedule	
  for	
  open	
  lab	
  sessions	
  will	
  be	
  available	
  on	
  the	
  Algodoo	
  page	
  of	
  the	
  lab	
  
website.	
  You	
  can	
  also	
  ask	
  TA’s	
  about	
  Algodoo	
  during	
  office	
  hours.	
  	
  
Additional	
  Details	
  and	
  FAQ	
  
• Algodoo	
  software:	
  The	
  software	
  can	
  be	
  downloaded	
  for	
  free	
  from	
  algodoo.com.	
  There’s	
  a	
  link	
  
on	
  the	
  lab	
  website.	
  	
  
• Using	
  the	
  lab	
  computers	
  for	
  this	
  project:	
  Read	
  the	
  “Getting	
  Help	
  From	
  TA’s”	
  section	
  above.	
  	
  
• Tutorials:	
  It	
  is	
  highly	
  recommended	
  that	
  you	
  run	
  through	
  the	
  Crash	
  Course	
  tutorial	
  and	
  the	
  
Tools	
  Tutorial.	
  These	
  teach	
  you	
  an	
  incredible	
  amount	
  in	
  a	
  relatively	
  short	
  time.	
  
• Don’t	
  know	
  what	
  to	
  do?:	
  If	
  you	
  are	
  having	
  trouble	
  finding	
  inspiration,	
  you	
  could	
  try	
  simulating	
  a	
  
homework	
  problem	
  and	
  perhaps	
  extending	
  it	
  in	
  some	
  way.	
  Or	
  you	
  could	
  build	
  a	
  project	
  that	
  is	
  a	
  
virtual	
  version	
  of	
  an	
  experiment	
  you	
  have	
  done	
  in	
  lab	
  this	
  semester	
  or	
  a	
  demo	
  you	
  saw	
  in	
  class.	
  
• Example	
  projects:	
  There	
  are	
  several	
  examples	
  of	
  projects	
  ranging	
  from	
  great	
  to	
  not-­‐so-­‐great	
  on	
  
the	
  course	
  website.	
  Taking	
  a	
  close	
  look	
  might	
  help	
  you	
  understand	
  what	
  we’re	
  looking	
  for.	
  You	
  
can	
  always	
  consult	
  your	
  TA	
  if	
  you	
  have	
  questions	
  specific	
  to	
  your	
  project.	
  
• How	
  long	
  should	
  this	
  take?:	
  Since	
  the	
  requirements	
  of	
  this	
  project	
  are	
  very	
  loose,	
  it’s	
  hard	
  to	
  
say	
  exactly	
  how	
  long	
  you	
  should	
  expect	
  to	
  work	
  on	
  it.	
  The	
  examples	
  posted	
  on	
  the	
  website	
  took	
  
between	
  3	
  and	
  6	
  hours	
  to	
  produce,	
  starting	
  from	
  scratch	
  and	
  no	
  prior	
  knowledge	
  of	
  Algodoo.	
  If	
  
you	
  are	
  attempting	
  a	
  very	
  complicated	
  project,	
  it	
  might	
  take	
  longer.	
  One	
  way	
  to	
  speed	
  things	
  up	
  
is	
  to	
  use	
  your	
  Algodoo	
  Practice	
  session	
  wisely	
  and/or	
  to	
  attend	
  an	
  open	
  lab	
  session	
  so	
  that	
  you	
  
can	
  get	
  some	
  help	
  with	
  the	
  software.	
  
• Don’t	
  overextend	
  yourself:	
  If	
  you	
  get	
  frustrated,	
  make	
  sure	
  you	
  ask	
  yourself	
  whether	
  you	
  might	
  
be	
  making	
  things	
  too	
  complicated.	
  Are	
  you	
  trying	
  to	
  build	
  a	
  car	
  when	
  a	
  rectangle	
  would	
  do	
  the	
  
job	
  just	
  as	
  well?	
  Look	
  at	
  the	
  rubric.	
  There	
  are	
  lots	
  of	
  ways	
  to	
  succeed	
  in	
  this	
  project	
  without	
  
building	
  something	
  that	
  is	
  unnecessarily	
  complicated.	
  
• Algodoo	
  has	
  limitations:	
  Algodoo	
  does	
  not	
  model	
  the	
  universe	
  perfectly.	
  Showing	
  that	
  you	
  can	
  
identify	
  where	
  Algodoo	
  simulations	
  come	
  up	
  short	
  could	
  even	
  be	
  part	
  of	
  your	
  project	
  and/or	
  
report.	
  Finding	
  clever	
  ways	
  to	
  work	
  around	
  the	
  limitations	
  of	
  Algodoo	
  can	
  be	
  very	
  impressive.	
  
The	
  point	
  is	
  that	
  you	
  shouldn’t	
  get	
  discouraged	
  by	
  the	
  imperfections	
  of	
  Algodoo.	
  Embrace	
  the	
  
challenges	
  that	
  they	
  pose!	
   	
  
Washington	
  University	
  in	
  St.	
  Louis	
   	
   Algodoo	
  Project	
  
Introductory	
  Physics	
  Lab	
   	
   Fall	
  2015	
  
4	
  
	
  
Rubric	
  
	
   Possible	
   Score	
  
Report	
   45	
   	
  
Begins	
  with	
  a	
  well-­‐written	
  sentence	
  or	
  paragraph	
  stating	
  the	
  objective(s)	
  of	
  the	
  project	
  (i.e.	
  
the	
  physics	
  topics	
  explored).	
  All	
  topics	
  mentioned	
  are	
  actually	
  covered	
  in	
  the	
  project.	
  
5	
  
	
  
The	
  physics	
  topics	
  are	
  deemed	
  sufficiently	
  advanced.	
   	
   10	
   	
  
The	
  description	
  of	
  the	
  objects	
  in	
  the	
  scene	
  is	
  clear	
  and	
  complete.	
   5	
   	
  
The	
  description	
  of	
  how	
  the	
  objects	
  move	
  and	
  interact	
  is	
  clear	
  and	
  complete.	
   5	
   	
  
Instructions	
  for	
  using	
  the	
  project	
  are	
  clear	
  and	
  complete.	
   5	
   	
  
The	
  conclusion/reflection	
  is	
  well-­‐written	
  and	
  communicates	
  an	
  enthusiasm	
  about	
  the	
  
completed	
  project.	
  
5	
  
	
  
The	
  conclusion	
  demonstrates	
  a	
  thorough	
  understanding	
  of	
  the	
  topics	
  of	
  physics	
  being	
  
investigated	
  in	
  the	
  project	
  and	
  (if	
  applicable)	
  an	
  understanding	
  of	
  the	
  issues	
  involved	
  with	
  
using	
  Algodoo	
  to	
  perform	
  a	
  simulation.	
  
10	
  
	
  
	
   	
   	
  
Presentation	
   30	
   	
  
The	
  presenter	
  is	
  prepared	
  and	
  enthusiastic,	
  and	
  the	
  presentation	
  is	
  enjoyable.	
   10	
   	
  
The	
  presenter	
  is	
  able	
  to	
  answer	
  questions	
  about	
  implementation	
  of	
  the	
  simulation	
  and/or	
  
the	
  physics	
  being	
  investigated	
  clearly	
  and	
  confidently.	
  
15	
  
	
  
The	
  presentation	
  is	
  completed	
  in	
  the	
  allotted	
  time.	
   5	
   	
  
	
   	
   	
  
Creativity	
  A	
  student	
  can	
  earn	
  no	
  more	
  than	
  25	
  points	
  for	
  creativity	
   25	
   	
  
The	
  project	
  uses	
  advanced	
  objects	
  such	
  as	
  gears,	
  springs,	
  ropes,	
  chains,	
  thrusters,	
  and	
  
motors	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  meet	
  the	
  objectives	
  of	
  the	
  project.	
  (3	
  points	
  per	
  type	
  of	
  object,	
  up	
  to	
  6	
  
points)	
  
6	
  
	
  
Material	
  Properties	
  (density,	
  mass,	
  friction,	
  restitution,	
  attraction,	
  etc)	
  or	
  velocity	
  are	
  
modified	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  meet	
  the	
  objectives.	
  The	
  importance	
  of	
  these	
  choices	
  must	
  be	
  
explained	
  in	
  the	
  report.	
  (3	
  points	
  per	
  important	
  modification	
  up	
  to	
  6	
  points)	
  
6	
  
	
  
Uses	
  other	
  advanced	
  features	
  of	
  Algodoo	
  not	
  discussed	
  in	
  the	
  Crash	
  Course	
  or	
  Tools	
  Tutorial	
  
(e.g.	
  gravity,	
  wind	
  resistance,	
  spongify,	
  creating	
  complicated	
  combined	
  objects)	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  
meet	
  the	
  objectives.	
  
3	
  
	
  
Visualizations	
  like	
  plots,	
  tracers,	
  velocity	
  vectors,	
  and	
  force	
  vectors	
  (just	
  to	
  name	
  a	
  few)	
  are	
  
used	
  in	
  such	
  a	
  way	
  as	
  to	
  enhance	
  the	
  effectiveness	
  of	
  the	
  project.	
  Visualizations	
  that	
  do	
  not	
  
help	
  your	
  project	
  meet	
  your	
  objectives	
  will	
  not	
  add	
  to	
  your	
  grade.	
  
6	
  
	
  
The	
  report	
  includes	
  a	
  focused,	
  thorough,	
  and	
  clear	
  discussion	
  of	
  modeling	
  objects	
  and/or	
  
interactions.	
  (See	
  the	
  Collisions	
  Lab	
  for	
  an	
  introduction	
  to	
  modeling.)	
  This	
  is	
  especially	
  
interesting	
  if	
  an	
  object	
  or	
  interaction	
  is	
  modeled	
  in	
  a	
  clever	
  way.	
  
8	
  
	
  
The	
  report	
  includes	
  a	
  focused,	
  thorough,	
  and	
  clear	
  discussion	
  of	
  the	
  limitations	
  of	
  a	
  
particular	
  model	
  or	
  models.	
  (See	
  the	
  Collisions	
  Lab	
  for	
  an	
  introduction	
  to	
  limitations	
  of	
  
models.)	
  
8	
  
	
  
The	
  project	
  is	
  visually	
  appealing.	
  (e.g.	
  colors	
  and	
  textures	
  beyond	
  the	
  default	
  settings	
  are	
  
used	
  effectively;	
  the	
  zoom	
  is	
  chosen	
  such	
  that	
  the	
  project	
  is	
  easy	
  to	
  view;	
  the	
  Sketch	
  Tool	
  is	
  
used	
  effectively.)	
  
3	
  
	
  
The	
  user	
  can	
  interact	
  with	
  the	
  project	
  in	
  a	
  fun	
  or	
  interesting	
  way	
  using	
  one	
  or	
  more	
  of	
  the	
  
keyboard,	
  mouse,	
  and	
  drag	
  tool.	
  
6	
  
	
  
	
   	
   	
  
Total	
   100