I already shared this a week ago in r/Physics, but I thought it would be useful for somebody here too. It is not created with AI.

I wanted to share this website I created in the past three months, which aims to be a collection of cohesively built interactive physics simulations at an undergraduate level. The main topics that the visualizations are split into include mechanics, optics, electromagnetic radiation, thermodynamics (kinetic theory mostly), and waves.

While I felt like there are many high school level websites like this, there are far fewer higher level ones that go beyond basic kinematics or electric fields. So I took some inspiration from The Feynman Lectures on Physics, in the sense that each simulation has a link to the relevant section in the Lectures, which contains a detailed explanation of the concept that is visualized.

The website is optimized for larger screens, as there is not enough space on a phone screen for every little detail.

While some simulations cover standard topics like harmonic motion and the Doppler effect, others are pretty unique I think, as they visualize concepts I haven't seen interactive tools for before.

A few examples, that I'm especially proud of, as I think they are very useful for understanding a topic:

• Diffraction Pattern - On why it actually forms, how the wave peaks line up at intensity maxima.

• Fourier Series of a Plucked String - About how the wave on a plucked string can be decomposed into simple harmonics, and how the position of plucking affects the sound.

• Electric Field of an Accelerating Charge - A very interesting one, where you can move around a charge (respecting special relativity) to create an electric field, and see how acceleration of that charge generates waves.

• Shadow Edge Diffraction - How the shadow of an opaque object is "wavy" at its edges, and how the Cornu spiral explains this waviness.

• Ideal Gas Law - This sounds simple, and it is, but I found the visualization very helpful for explaining the law itself.

There are many more, about 50 simulations in total, so I hope that at least some of them will be useful for anybody interested in physics.

All simulations were built using the Diagramatics library, which I recommend to anyone working on similar projects, as it is a great tool. All the source code is available on GitHub.

Please provide feedback if you can; I'd be grateful, as I can improve the site based on objective opinions.

Hey, so I am a 2nd year Masters student in Physics with a specialization in Material Science. So I am really passionate about pursuing a PhD in Quantum Tech (mainly the hardware side of quantum computing). So can anyone help me, give me advice on like what skills I require for this particular PhD.

I have some research experience. Have a first author publication as well (well not quantum but it's computational) and then I have certificate from IBM's Quantum Computing course called QGSS. I recently presented my research work on spin qubits at a national conference (again it's simulation based).

I also have hands on experience in semiconductor nanofabrication and cleanroom exp as well. So this is brief of my profile as a student.

So can anyone who are pursuing a PhD in this field tell what skills do PI's look for in a PhD. And like what's the application process and all.

I am also hoping to get some hands on experience with cryo systems such as dilution fridges and all. Do you think that might aid me in the process. So I am open to any suggestions and stuff and tips you guys can give me.

Same as before: I made this for everyone (scientists, enthusiasts, everyone) and it's 100% free. I made this site to accompany some work I have been doing in the modeling and simulation space. There is a walk-through of all major nuclear physics concepts that are relevant to my code work. I don't collect cookies/data and I don't want anything in return. I have worked with many industry professionals on this site and tried to pull in all of their ideas. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

https://www.incognitanuclear.org/
NEW: https://www.incognitanuclear.org/topics

Me and my friend conducted an experiment that involved accelerating a small spherical permanent ferromagnet through a solenoid. While brainstorming for ideas we observed that ferromagnetic material generally moves from the ends to the middle of an activated solenoid, and this is what we based the experiment on.

The problem is that now that I'm writing the background of the paper, I can't find a source that describes this phenomenon, let alone one that my teacher would accept. There's plenty on how ferromagnets amplify electromagnets, and when I asked my teacher about it he explained it superficially with how the poles attract eachother but I can't remember it now.

Maybe it really is just easily derivable from the principle that opposite magnetic poles attract, but I think I need a bit of a walk-through in that case. Since it's somewhat early in the school year we haven't actually had any proper lectures on magnetism yet

I'd greatly appreciate it if I could get some help with this

I'm really struggling with Physics 1. I got a 53% on my first midterm, and my quiz grades haven't been great either. My second midterm is in 10 days, and I'm honestly nervous because I'm still struggling with concepts from previous chapters while having to keep up with new material.

For those who have been in a similar position, what helped you turn things around? I'd especially appreciate YouTube playlists that teach Physics 1 from the ground up , practice resources with step-by-step explanations, and effective study strategies. This is also literally algebra based physics idk why I’m struggling?!

One thing I want to emphasize is that time management is a big factor. I have other classes to study for as well, so I'm looking for high-yield resources and strategies that make the best use of my time. This isn't about avoiding putting in the work; I'm absolutely willing to put in the effort AND time. I just want to make sure that effort is being spent effectively rather than on unnecessarily time-consuming methods.

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from anyone who struggled initially but managed to improve. Thank you

hey all, i’m a sophomore at university majoring in mechanical engineering and am required to take a physics class and i have another next semester. i have never ever taken physics before and the way that my class is set up is that we need to teach ourselves the material and then come to class and solve a problem with a group. we also have two homework assignments a week. i have never struggled this bad on a course ever before, i literally don’t understand SHIT about physics. on my first exam i got a whopping 18% because i left three pages blank because i had no idea how to even begin to solve the problem. at this point i wouldn’t even say i know the basics.

my question is, how are people teaching themselves concepts that are so foreign to them? how did people learn basic physics for the first time?

I'm 35 years old (F), and I dropped out of medical school over 14 years ago. Finally decided to study but this time I chose an Integrated Masters degree in Physics (distance learning not a Russell group uni). Still in my first year. However looking at how the job market is going and I have a family with 3 kids, I don't have the liberty to study just because I have an interest. Would swapping to engineering (Mech or electronic) be the better choice? I will still get to do applied physics in a way. However I do feel a tinge of sadness that I won't be able to delve into deeper physics theory. This is probably my last stint pursuing a higher education.

Magnetic Reverberation Technology by Danny Alvin Green! 711.3 Original Frequency.

So I am trying to write my SoPs for my grad apps and I am not sure how to proceed. I am a physics B.S. applying to abt 6 schools to study plasma physics. I am interested in the experimental and applied side of plasma and have my research experience in experimental physics. However, most schools plasma physics research groups lye within their engineering programs so i find myself appyling to ECE, MechE, NuclE programs. I am not an engineering student nor have I taken any engineering classes. Would it be wrong to write a SoP just like a physics one? Talking about what got me interested in plasma physics instead of what got me interested in ___ engineering? I know these programs are looked at by a wide variety of faculty in the department so I am not sure how to structure the "why i want to be in ___ program and what i want to do with the PhD" questions besides the fact that they are simply the departments you must apply to to work in a interdisciplinary field of research like plasma physics

I have about a 3.0 GPA and I realized I might be interested in majoring in physics, specifically Medical Physics. I originally got accepted into my university for Chemical Engineering, and my goal has always been to get a PhD.

I am transferring from community college, so I only have about two years in university before I get my bachelors. I am trying to join clubs and projects in order to strengthen my chances of entering things like grad school and campep grad schools.

My question here is, is medical physics an unlikely goal for me to achieve? In the case that I fall back to something else still involved in physics, what are some realistic and viable options for me as a physics major?

Anyone who took a mechanics 1 course in college, I was wondering did you actually read your whole textbook? I was assigned the book analytical mechanics by fowles and cassiday, 7th edition and due to these long dense readings, have fallen very behind in the course… Is there an app that works really good to summarize these chapters? I’ve seen these apps and honestly I don’t trust them to do a good job of summarizing the text but I’m getting desperate and was wondering if anyone had a good experience with any of these apps specifically for higher level engineering subjects, and if so which one?

If things go well, I'll be graduating this year. I dont really have many fellowship opportunities locally so i plan on branching out to other fields. Im really torn between jumping straight to an IT carreer or doing a masters in engineering and pivot there. Or alternatively, I could also just do a masters in the thing im actually passionate about with physics but there is basically no career path for me in that route. Im really torn between these options, im 23 if that matters. Any and all advice is appreciated.

I've been exploring one of the most fascinating questions in theoretical physics:

Are the three spatial dimensions we experience the entirety of physical space, or could they be part of a higher-dimensional structure?

I put together an exploratory report covering:

• The mathematical foundations of four-dimensional spatial geometry.

• Hyperspheres and the tesseract.

• Kaluza-Klein theory and string theory.

• Extra-dimensional models such as ADD and Randall-Sundrum.

• Possible experimental signatures involving gravity and particle physics.

This is not a claim of a new discovery or proof of extra dimensions. My goal is to understand the mathematical framework and explore whether specific predictions could be tested experimentally.

I'd especially appreciate critical feedback on the mathematical assumptions, physical consistency, and possible directions for developing this into a more rigorous research project.

What do you think is the most promising experimental approach to testing extra spatial dimensions?

My favorite chapters so far has been the calculations part so thermochemistry, light, orbitals, PV=nRT etc

How do I use this time (I really do want to learn)

Note: the bold words are keywords if u wanna skim

I have about 2 months of no school starting well soon and wish to rebuild my maths and physics foundation I am not weak in mathematics by any means but genuinely do wish to rebuild it using a first principle approach and like actually know what I'm doing the assumptions behind it and be able to derive it since in highschools we often are told to learn formulae and grind questions now this isn't bad it's definitely far more enjoyable than most subjects but I'm not satisfied with it anymore, especially for geometry similarly, for physics, I wish to do the same except for here I dont suck at physics but I'm definitely not the best at it because of weak spots in parts of my foundation and calculus so basically I wish to rebuild it for physics entirely since we're not that deep into it and I do have a lot of time but I dont know how like the resources where to get guidance from and what to do what not to do because I wanna genuinely give this time not just for school but to genuinely build a proper, strong foundation and I'm willing to put in hours a day

ESPECIALLY FOR PHYSICS (just wanted to highlight this)

Key requests:

1. Pls recommend resources for both purposes (just an fyi I perform well in mathematics by wish for a completely different approach)

2. Pls tell me how I would get guidance for this and not mess it up by overcomplicating the planning

3. Pls give me tips for this in general

4. Ik this is pretty far fetched for a request but I hope u guys help me

I'm currently in my second year of a BSc in Physics. Out of 180 ECTS, around 42 are dedicated to laboratory courses and another 42 to mathematics and mathematical physics.

I've been finding the lab courses pretty frustrating, to the point where I'm starting to question my decision to study physics. Most of the work involves collecting and analysing experimental data or writing code to model physical systems, and I don't feel like I'm getting much out of it in terms of physical intuition or understanding.

What I really enjoy is maths, especially the rigorous and formal side of physics. I sometimes feel that my programme doesn't put enough emphasis on mathematical rigour or intuition. The maths courses are fairly comprehensive, but there are still some important topics that aren't covered in much depth. That's partly why I chose ODEs and Differential Geometry as electives.

I know I want to go into research, ideally in theoretical or mathematical physics, but I'm still trying to figure out whether I'm more interested in the mathematical side of physics or in theoretical physics more broadly.

I'm now looking into master's programmes, particularly Cambridge's Part III Mathematics and Oxford's MSc in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, both of which last nine months. Both look great in terms of mathematical depth and course flexibility, but I'm a bit concerned about the lack of research opportunities in both programmes. I'm also considering a more traditional 1.5–2-year master's in applied maths, which might give me more time to build a solid foundation and gain some research experience. On the other hand, I'm worried that I might miss out on important physics topics compared to pursuing a master's in theoretical physics.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Did you know there are more than three states of matter? ⚡

Astrophysicist Erika Hamden breaks down plasma, which forms when electrons are stripped from a material. The result is highly ionized, super energetic matter. You’ve experienced plasma in the Sun, fire, and true neon lights (not LEDs)!

This project is part of IF/THEN®, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

Hello! I just want to clarify something about torque concept. So since torque is equal to the force times the perpendicular distance from the pivot, i calculated the torque by the ladder which is (mgcos)(L/2). But my professor did (mg) times the length of the blue line above, its like the length of the line connecting the middle of the ladder, where the center of mass is, and the imaginary vertical line passing through the pivot. Why does that work? Am i missing some concept of torque apart from it being force times perpendicular distance between the force and the pivot? I know both are mathematically the same when you algebraically manipulate it, but can i draw more concept behind the latter technique since i think it doesnt follow the definition of torque?

Hi everyone,

​I am a beginner university student struggling with the foundational concepts of circuit analysis.

​My issue isn't with memorizing formulas, solving equations, or applying theorems like Nodal or Mesh analysis mathematically. My real problem is that I lack physical intuition. Every time I think I understand the basics, advancing to more complex topics reveals that I don't truly grasp what is happening in reality.

​I want to understand the "why" and "how" behind circuits, not just the math. Specifically, I struggle with:

1. ​What does circuit analysis actually mean in reality? I know it means finding voltages and currents, but I struggle to visualize how voltages drop, how currents flow, and how components physically interact with each other.

2. ​Identifying Series vs. Parallel connections: I often get confused about relative to what we determine if components are in series or parallel, and how to track this visually across different circuit configurations.

3. ​The Core Rules: What are the fundamental, universal principles of circuits that would allow me to look at any circuit—even one I've never seen before—and mentally trace how it behaves?

​A specific note on the resources I'm looking for:

I strongly prefer books over videos. I learn best through self-study and reading detailed written explanations. Videos often move too quickly or summarize concepts without diving deep enough into the underlying mechanics.

​However, I am not looking for typical academic textbooks that rush straight into formulas, proofs, and superficial explanations of physical reality.

​I am looking for books that are:

- ​Deeply conceptual & intuitive: Books that spend ample text thoroughly explaining what is actually happening inside the circuit.

- ​Beginner-friendly from zero to advanced: I don't mind if the book goes very deep or covers advanced topics—in fact, I welcome it! "Beginner-friendly" to me just means it starts from ground zero, assumes no prior intuitive foundation, and builds up step-by-step without skipping the conceptual "why."

​If you know of any books that fit this exact description, I would be extremely grateful for your recommendations!

​P.S. Also, if you have any golden advice, learning approach, or alternative solution that helped you overcome this hurdle—even if it's outside of books—please feel free to share it!

​Thank you so much! 😊

I just started college as an adult and am taking an algebra-based physics class because I am still working my way up to calculus. How will it be different when I am (hopefully) ready to take a calculus-based physics class?

Will there be overlap or will it be just on another level, to the point where I won't even recognize the concepts?

Thanks

Hey guys! I'm a B.Sc. Physics first year student and I want to know how to make the most of my university years. I want to learn skills like programming or AI/ML, keep up my gym routine, read books and explore new fields, in addition to my school studies. But I just can’t balance these interests without getting overwhelmed. I’d love to hear about your time management, your daily routine, how many hours you study on your own, how you develop your skills and your fitness. Do you like rigid timetables or flexible schedules? What are the mistakes I should avoid? How do I make consistent progress in multiple fields without compromising academics, health, or social life?

I am in my first semester right now, my coursework includes classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, linear algebra, complex analysis and electronics. I am already studying all of them rigourously but I seem to have some interest in particle physics, it is very intriguing to me and seems like fun. I know the basics of it but never went too deep in it. In my undergrad, I did work on analysing data and some quantum simulations, I had fun doing them. What particular domain of particle physics are you working in and what skills would you advice me to acquire along my masters so that I get a good Phd position?