London Gifted & Talented - Space Science Simulations

londongt.org teachers students

Customising the Initial State
Universe | Rocket

Complete list of variables for 'Universe'

Planet settings: initial velocity of planet

v_xv: initial x velocity; default value 0.0
v_yv: initial y velocity; default value 1.0 (note: down is positive!)

Observatory settings: what gets shown

v_velocity: whether to show velocity arrow (1: yes; 0: no); default value 1
v_acceleration: whether to show acceleration arrow (1: yes; 0: no); default value 1
v_orbit: whether to trace orbital path (1: yes; 0: no); default value 1
v_area: whether to show area swept out (1: yes; 0: no); default value 1

My Law settings: customising your law of gravity

v_law_a: does law depend on velocity or acceleration? (1: vel; 0: acc); default value 0
v_law_b: towards sun or at right angles? (1: rt ang; 0: towards); default value 0
v_law_c: dependence on distance r (0: 1/r; 1: 1/r²; 2: 1/r³; 3: r; 4: r²; 5: r³); default value 1

Both the 'Space Science' simulations allow you to change certain settings.

For example, in 'Universe', you can set up an acceleration law or a velocity law; towards or perpendicular to the sun; proportional to distance, or to distance squared, or... and so on.

And in 'Rocket', you can launch from the Moon, or Earth, or anywhere else in the Solar System; with a payload of whatever mass you like; with a propulsion unit with as many stages as you like, of whatever size you like; and so on.

The easiest way to change these settings is by hand, by playing with the simulation. But what if you want to start up the simulation with particular settings (for a presentation, for example)? This can be done by putting information into the Web address.