BuildPhysics
About BuildPhysics
I created BuildPhysics to give teachers and students a quick, flexible way to bring mechanics to life—especially when the ideal demonstration is hard to set up, expensive, or simply not available in the classroom.
01
As a teacher, I often want to turn a concept or textbook problem into something students can see and investigate. Real equipment is valuable, but it is not always practical or available for every situation. I wanted a tool that could create a useful visual model in moments, then let the class change it together.
02
Equations become more meaningful when students also develop physical intuition. Building, testing, changing a variable, and trying again turns physics into something students can play with. Many students have spent years creating in building games; BuildPhysics invites them to bring that same curiosity and experimentation into physics.
03
Most simulations are designed around one setup or one relationship. BuildPhysics is intentionally open-ended, so the same situation can reveal several layers of physics without rebuilding the lesson in a different app.
One scene, multiple perspectives
In the same setup, students can describe how the block moves, examine the forces that cause the motion, and track how energy changes. Switching the focus takes only a few clicks, which makes the relationships between those representations easier to see.
The goal
BuildPhysics can start with a prepared experiment or a blank workspace. In either case, the goal is the same: help students notice relationships, collect evidence, and build an understanding that connects the mathematics to an experience they can see and control.
Start building in the sandboxQuestions and ideas
Found a bug, have a feature request, or want to ask about the site? I welcome feedback from teachers and students.
BuildPhysics is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with UC Santa Barbara or the College Board.