StickMan Guide to Physics
StickMan Physics helps us understand the amazing world around us with animated physics lessons. StickMan Physics is free and directed by a teacher with other physics teachers and students in mind. Use the slider here to get to any unit.
Don't be passive when you are learning physics. Get out paper, a pencil, and calculator and get extra practice. Each section has example physics problems to work through with us and quizzes that provide feedback.
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Current Physics News
- A new experiment hints at how hot water can freeze faster than cold August 7, 2020A study of tiny glass beads suggests that the Mpemba effect is real.Emily Conover
- How understanding nature made the atomic bomb inevitable August 6, 2020On the anniversary of Hiroshima, here’s a look back at the chain reaction of basic discoveries that led to nuclear weapons.Tom Siegfried
- Human sperm don’t swim the way that anyone had thought July 31, 2020High-speed 3-D microscopy and mathematical analyses reveal that rolling and lopsided tail flicks keep the cells swimming in a straight line.Jack J. Lee
- The physics of solar flares could help scientists predict imminent outbursts July 30, 2020Physicists aim to improve space weather predictions by studying the physical processes that spark a solar flare.Emily Conover
- A black hole circling a wormhole would emit weird gravitational waves July 27, 2020A new calculation reveals the strange gravitational waves LIGO and Virgo could see if a black hole were falling into a hypothetical tunnel in spacetime.Emily Conover
UNIT 1: One Dimensional Motion
This is our Introductory physics unit. Learn the difference between scalars and vectors. Next move on to how to pick a constant velocity or accelerated motion equation. Afterwards this is followed by how to approach a problem when a an object is in the air or it's based on a graph.
StickMan Physics Lessons
UNIT 2: Two Dimensional Motion
Two dimensional motion involves vectors that include motion on the X and Y axis. The first kind of physics problem, non-projectile, includes object that are turning but not in the air. Because of this we will use our common SOH CAH TOA trigonometry functions. Next we get into problems with projectiles that are being accelerated by gravity in the Y axis while having a constant X axis component. We then teach you how to approach horizontal launch problems mathematically.
UNIT 3: Newton's Laws and Forces
Learn Newton's three laws of motion starting with inertia, then force causes acceleration, and lastly action reaction pairs. In this section we will look at the difference between mass and weight. Then look at additional forces like air resistance, friction, tension, spring force and ones created on an incline plane.
UNIT 4: Universal Gravitation and Circular Motion
Learn about Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation. How all masses in the universe are attracted to all other masses. Then continue on to circular motion and see how centripetal force is necessary to create a circular path. Inertia would cause an object to continue in a straight line and centripetal force creates the inward arc creating a circle. Lastly see torque, an equivalent to a rotation acceleration created by a perpendicular force away from a rotational point.
UNIT 5: Work, Power, Mechanical Energy, and Simple Machines
Work and power is the first section of this unit. See how force must have a component in the direction of motion to do work or have power output. Mechanical energy is composes of potential and kinetic energy. See how to solve for either or the amount of one that is converted to another. Simple machines can't be used to create energy but can be used to multiply a force at the expense of distance. Learn more about simple machines here.
UNIT 6: Momentum, Impulse, and Conservation of Momentum
Impulse changes momentum, or moving inertia. This moving inertia remains conserved during collisions. Momentum is conserved through inelastic and elastic collisions. A ball thrown and pool balls colliding are example scenarios in this section.
Unit 7: Electrostatics
A charged object has an electrical field around it. There is an interaction with other charged objects within this field. We begin this unit by looking at lightning and the difference when charging by conduction, induction, and friction.
Resources
- Stickman Physics Table of Contents: Use the search bar or click here to easily find a unit or topic
- Physics Practice: Get more practice by using out randomly generated 10-20 question overall or unit based assessments.
- Physics Equation Sheet: commonly used equations, variables, and units
- Rule of Ones: analyzing equations to determine how other variables change
- Intro Physics Variables Description
Stickman Physics Links
- For video tutorials and other physics resources check out HoldensClass.com
- Introduction to our pages: Free Teacher Resources
- Find many of your animation resources in one place at the StickMan Physics Gallery