Physics courses are full of concepts that are challenging for students to grasp by simply looking at equations and small, static images in a textbook. Oftentimes students can understand concepts more quickly and at a deeper level when they can experiment with a model or plot that demonstrates the connections between physical laws and equations, the parameters of a system, and the behavior that arises in the system. Textbooks and traditional lectures do not lend themselves to such a style of learning, and many courses, particularly those designated as upper-division, will benefit from interactive demonstrations appended to the usual classroom experience. The dynamic interactivity and visualization functionality of Mathematica meets these demands. This presentation demonstrates some Mathematica interactive lessons used in an upper-division theoretical mechanics course. Concepts covered include potential energy diagrams, damped and driven oscillatory motion, Fourier series, centrifugal and coriolis forces, center of mass and effective mass, Kepler orbits, many-body systems, and tidal forces. Methods for developing interactive lessons to maximize student learning outcomes are discussed. Finally, methods for obtaining and implementing the lessons presented are presented.

Using Wolfram Mathematica to Create Interactive Lessons