Abstract
As part of a first-year college Introductory Physics course, I have students construct an Excel®: spreadsheet based on the differential equation for pendulum motion (we take a pendulum having a light bar rather than a string, so it can go ‘over the top’). In extensive discussions with the students, I find that forcing them to make the spreadsheet themselves, entering velocities as position differences divided by time, etc., leads to a firmer grasp of basic calculus concepts. And, the instant graphical response of the finished product gives a sense of accomplishment as well as a lot of fun while building intuition about pendulum motion.
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Fowler, M. Using Excel to Simulate Pendulum Motion and Maybe Understand Calculus a Little Better. Sci Educ 13, 791–796 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-004-6731-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-004-6731-1