Contemporary sciences, including the didactics of science, employ computational simulations as tools in their academic endeavors. The construction and application of these simulations are of interest to didactics as they contribute to shaping new perspectives on scientific activity. Consequently, they warrant special attention in…

The double-indicator method is often used in the analysis of Na[subscript 2]CO[subscript 3], NaHCO[subscript 3], and NaOH mixtures (carbonate mixtures). In this method, the determination of the volumes at the first and second equivalence points plays a crucial role in analyzing the composition and content of the carbonate mixtures. Here, LabVIEW…

An application for visualizing the dynamic properties of an equimolar binary mixture of isotropic reactive particles is presented. By introducing a user selectable choice for the activation energy, the application is useful to demonstrate qualitatively that the reaction rate depends on the above choice and on temperature. The application is based…

While computer simulations are a key element in understanding and doing science today, their nature and implications for science education have not been adequately explored in the relevant literature. In this article, (1) we provide an analysis of the methodology and epistemology of computer simulations, aiming to contribute to a sound and…

Equilibrium is an essential concept in undergraduate physics curriculum as it integrates Newton's laws and torque. The importance also comes from its wide applications in mechanics and biomechanics. Simulations of Back and Arms are developed mainly for the undergraduates who major in physical therapy and health sciences. They are implemented as…

Evaluating the relation between evidence and theory should be a central activity for science learners. Evaluation comprises both hypothetico-deductive analysis, where theory precedes evidence, and inductive synthesis, where theory emerges from evidence. There is mounting evidence that induction is an especially good way to help learners grasp the…

Evaluating the relation between evidence and theory should be a central activity for science learners. Evaluation comprises both hypothetico-deductive analysis, where theory precedes evidence, and inductive synthesis, where theory emerges from evidence. There is mounting evidence that induction is an especially good way to help learners grasp the…

This work explores the concept of dissipative work and shows that such a kind of work is an invariant non-negative quantity. This feature is then used to get a new insight into adiabatic irreversible processes; for instance, why the final temperature in any adiabatic irreversible process is always higher than that attained in a reversible process…

At a time when scientific and technological competence is vital to the nation's future, the weak performance of U.S. students in science reflects the uneven quality of current science education. Although young children come to school with innate curiosity and intuitive ideas about the world around them, science classes rarely tap this potential.…

This paper examines the use of the 3-D virtual world Second Life to explore basic mechanics in physics. In Second Life, students can create scripts that take advantage of a virtual physics engine in order to conduct experiments that focus on specific phenomena. The paper explores two particular examples of this process: (1) the movement of an…

The use of computer simulations as educational tools may afford the means to develop understanding of evolution as a natural, emergent, and decentralized process. However, special consideration of developmental constraints on learning may be necessary when using these technologies. Specifically, the essentialist (biological forms possess an…

Laboratory-based courses play a significant role in engineering education. Given the role of electronics in engineering and technology, laboratory experiments and circuit simulation IT tools are used in their teaching in several academic institutions. This paper discusses the characteristics and benefits of both methods. The content and structure…

The stochastic simulation of chemical reactions, specifically, a simple reversible chemical reaction obeying the first-order, i.e., linear, rate law, has been presented by Martinez-Urreaga and his collaborators in this journal. The current contribution is intended to complement and augment their work in two aspects. First, the simple reversible…

The purpose of this study was to examine Edward Lorenz's psychological processes and other environmental aspects in the discovery of chaos at that time. The general concept of chaos is discussed based on relations with previous scientific theories such as Newtonian physics and quantum mechanics. The constraints of discovery in terms of available…