How to make animations/pictures for physics?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on the methods and software used to create animations and descriptive pictures for physical models. Participants explore various tools suitable for both 2-D and 3-D representations, as well as interactive simulations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest using Flash for creating physics animations and models, highlighting its capability for user interaction.
  • Others propose Fireworks and Photoshop as alternatives for animating GIFs, with Flash also being able to save animations as images.
  • Inkscape is recommended for creating 2-D still images, while Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, and Sun JavaFX are mentioned for 2-D animations.
  • For 3-D animations and stills, participants mention software like POV-Ray, Blender3D, and Wings3D.
  • One participant notes that different images and animations may have been created using various programs, including kinematic analysis tools and Excel macros.
  • MATLAB is highlighted as a flexible platform for creating animations through coding.
  • Mathematica is also mentioned as capable of producing similar outputs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the best software for creating animations and images, with no consensus on a single preferred tool. Different software options are proposed for various types of outputs, indicating multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about specific software capabilities are based on personal experiences and may not cover all functionalities or limitations of the mentioned programs.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in creating visual representations of physical models, including educators, students, and professionals in physics and engineering fields.

gamesguru
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How do you make animations or descriptive pictures for physical models? They're not hand drawn and I'm pretty sure it's not done in photoshop. Is there special software for this? Here's a few pictures of what I mean:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Stokes_sphere.svg/403px-Stokes_sphere.svg.png"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Pendulum_animation.gif"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/N-body_problem_(3).gif"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/Double-compound-pendulum.gif"
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/imgmec/icyl3a.gif"
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/imgmec/amp1.gif"
ect...

Thanks in advance.
 
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I also suggest using Flash to demostrate animations.
 
Flash is great for that, and you can save it as an animated image within the publish settings. Another program that can animate GIFs is Fireworks. In fact it can even be done in Photoshop.

Plus with Flash, you can add user interaction.
 
For 2-D still images like the first one on your list Inkscape would be a good candidate.

For 2-D animations Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, or Sun JavaFX, or if you want to be standards-oriented SMIL. These are also good for the purpose of creating some interactive simulations or exhibits.

For 3-D stills and animations there's POV-Ray, Blender3D, Wings3D and a variety of other options out there.

And there are special pieces of software for special applications: Celestia, for example, for some types of scenes in space.
⚛​
 
All those images/animations are done with different programs. First one is hand drawn, probably adobe flash. Second and fourth one is from a kinematic analysis/demonstration program like "working model". I saw somebody do similar stuff using excel macros but i don't know how exactly. Third one is might be from a plotter like "sigma plot" or "origin", multiple plots have been merged to a gif animation using another program, flash can do that. The most flexible platform is MATLAB where you can do all this stuff with code.
 
Mathematica can do all of this.
 

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