Microworld: Magical Gravity Tour
Click the Hyperlink above to visit the Microworld in your Browser.
Author: James White

Let Salviati be your guide as you play this intriguing game of Magic and Science. If you play it well, and you follow in the footsteps of the Giants who taught us the Secrets of the Sky, you will learn some of the mysteries of Gravity, and you will begin to understand (perhaps for the first time) how and why Calculus came to be. But you will need no Calculus to do the experiments, or to read the words of our 17th Century Prometheans: Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. We put you there, where it all began

This 55-page, 3-Dimensional PlayBook can easily give you weeks (or even months) of recreational exploration and learning pleasure as you try to collect your 5 trophies. Each time you return to the book, either on the web, or off-line, just sign in, and the game will pick up where you left off. Even books that you might have been reading will be turned to the pages where you left them. And if you listen closely to Salviati, you will learn a great many things. But don't think of this as "education" and don't think of it as the sort of "web game" you are familiar with. We guarantee that it is unlike anything you have ever experienced before.

The first time you come to the PlayBook, you will be introduced to Salviati, and you will learn the rules of the Game. If you play off-line in Mathwright32 Reader, then the simulations and games will be a bit peppier and more realistic than if you play in your browser. Off-line, this PlayBook operates like a multimedia CD.

But if you read in your browser, it can still be like a multimedia CD (especially if you have a fast connection) except that each resource must be brought (one time only) down to your computer from the web as you need it. So there will be a roughly 10-minute wait (at 44000 bps) at the beginning, as the programs and some of the music downloads. After that, they will never need to be downoaded again. And as you move about in our 3D world, the "3D views" will be downloaded (again, one time only). With a DSL or Cable connection, this first-time download will be negligeable, and things will go as they would off-line.

You should view the PlayBook in Full-screen mode (Press F11) and keep the small progress rectangle at the top of the screen in view so that you can keep track of download progress.

Finally, Salviati, who is now a member of the Mathwright Library staff, has agreed to answer questions from Library Members about any aspect of the PlayBook (Science, Mathematics, or Instructional Technology). Send him those questions if you get stuck at the Talk to a Librarian page. You can also get to it when you press Start Here on the home page. You'll see it.

Note: This PlayBook requires Version 2.007 or later, dated September, 10, 2002. Please download and use a player (MathwrightWeb or Mathwright32 Reader) at least as late as that. Unless you have DSL or Cable, you will experience optimal performance if you play it off-line with Mathwright32 Reader. However, it is freely available on-line to Library non-members with MathwrightWeb

Download free MathwrightWeb to view Microworlds in your browser, then press


or download the free Mathwright32 Reader, then press

(Download size: 8.4 M)

Suggested Uses:

Gravity is a 55-page Interactive Mathematics/Science PlayBook that is designed to be used by students ages 14 and older for private self-directed study and recreation. With an Institutional License, teachers may choose to use it as a resource to enrich mathematics and physics courses at the Secondary and College levels, to support group projects and laboratories, or to illustrate (with simulations) a number of key ideas in the development of Calculus and of Classical Mechanics. Since one of the aims of the book is to stimulate questions and generate discussion, it seems that it would lend itself to a number of collaborative teaching and learning strategies. The book has a number of game-like explorations (such as a Lunar Lander or a space shuttle launch) that also teach. Further, students have the opportunity to experiment with each of Kepler's 3 laws. This WorkBook is also available from the Library on CD.

See more focused comments for teachers in our Cafe article: The Magical Gravity Tour

Topics: algebra, geometry, solid geometry, precalculus, conic sections, and rocket science

Number of Pages: 55

Animation: Yes

Grade Level: Junior High School through Beginning College

This PlayBook makes use of Databases as Active Data Objects. This means that you do not have to have a database program to use these data bases, but you should have the MS Access Database or the MS Access 97 Database installed as a Data Source Name.

If the Data Tables do not work properly, please do the following. In Windows 95/98/ME, just go to the Control Panel, and under ODBC Data Sources, select the User DSN tab. If MS Access Database or MS Access 97 Database is already installed, you are all set! Otherwise, press the Add... button, and double-click on the Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb) entry. Then, in the Data Source Name, type MS Access Database.

Once you download our free Mathwright32 Reader above, then simply click Get This Microworld, and it will be downloaded to your machine and installed in a directory there. You may find it whenever you want to view it, by going to the Start, Programs, Mathwright32 Reader menu.

To visit our Microworlds in your browser, it must be able to read ActiveX controls. Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Browser (or later) is so equipped. You should check that the Security Settings under Tools, Internet Options, Security for the Internet, Custom Level has:

Microworld Title Page:
The Magical Gravity Tour
Individual and Institutional Members may sign in. Click here to join the Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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