What are some alternatives for 3D physics simulation software?

[pinsky]

Hello everyone!

I'm looking for a software in which i could simulate physical experiments from the field of classical physics. Before you start recommending matlab, i would like the software to be, well, a bit "higher" :)

What i mean by that is that is should simulate the model in 3d space, and show the interactions that occur (from idealized situations for exploring kinematics (a collision of two mass points), to complicated dynamics(a collision of two balloons))

I've found a nice program called Newton:



but, i currently don't have the money to buy it. On the other hand, we have Catia installed on computers on the faculty.

What my question basically is, is catia to complex to learn just for that purpose? Will all of my classical physics classes pass until i learn how to reproduce examples from the book in catia :P ?

Or, do you maybe know some alternatives?

 

[Curl]

I don't know any programs like this, but I have a simulator in my head which works well with classical physics (its how I do all physics problems).

For E&M I heard of one called Maxwell 3D

 

[Cleonis]

I'm looking for a software in which i could simulate physical experiments from the field of classical physics.

I think EJS comes pretty close to what you are looking for.
http://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/Main/WhatIsEJS

EJS is a Java Applet generator. EJS is free software.
You enter the differential equations that apply for the physics phenomenon that you want to model. EJS offers a range of solvers, the more accurate the solver the more computationally intensive.

EJS can generate 2D and 3D scenes. Scenes are created by adding view elements to a scene. Examples of view elements are geometrical shapes such as cubes and spheres, and tools such as 'trail'.

Also, there is special 'event handling'. For instance, if two objects collide their motion is no longer given by the regular differential equations. In the events functionality you define a criterium to trigger the switch to other code for that particular event.

Of course the applet needs controls for user interaction. View elements to build a control panel are buttons, checkboxes, sliders, input fields, etc.

In effect all of the Java coding for creating the View is done by EJS. The user input is that you choose view elements and you assign earlier defined variables to those view elements.Summerizing:
- EJS is a general tool for generating any kind of simulation that is modeled with differential equations.
- A simulation is created by defining variables, setting up the computations, and assigning the variables to view elements.
- EJS generates the Java code for creating the view.

 

[pinsky]

Thanks for the reply.

I've heard already about EJS. Tried it for 10min. It isn't what i was looking for. I am searching for a more WYSWYG solution. If i need to write all relations myself, i can use mathematica :)

But I commend the effort, it's a great thing for teachers

 

[guapig]

hello!PinSky,I don't know if you have fond what you need.
I got some you may like:crocodile physics.
It can simulate physical experiments just as you drag something into its working place.
I hope u can like it.

to donwload it,Try google.( i have forget where i fond it
OR u can send an email to me. maybe I can help u.