PhET Simulations for Biology
Phet
The Physics Education Technology (PhET) project is an ongoing effort to provide an extensive suite of simulations for teaching and learning subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and earth science. These simulations help students to comprehend concepts through the use of graphics and interactive animations.
Teachers can use PhET simulations to create worksheets for re-enforcement of the concepts. PhET simulations are written in Java and HTML5. This helps to run these simulations online or to download them to their local computer.
To encourage quantitative exploration these simulations have measurement instruments including rulers, stopwatches, voltmeters, and thermometers.
PhET simulations and resources are freely available at the PhET website (https://phet.colorado.edu/) from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
The Spoken Tutorial Effort for PhET has been contributed by Dr Snehalatha Kaliappan, Dr Vidya Iyer and Meenal Ghoderao.
Contents
Basic Level
1. Introduction to PhET Simulations
- Open the PhET website in a web browser.
- About PhET simulations.
- Register and sign in on the PhET website.
- Access the PhET simulations online.
- Browse the simulations.
- Filter simulations based on subject and grade level.
- Arrange the simulations in alphabetical order.
- Browse activities based on level and subject.
- Download the simulations for offline use on various OS.
- Open and run the downloaded simulation.
2. Color Vision
- About colours of visible light (VIBGYOR).
- How colour vision works.
- Types of cone cells.
- Different wavelength-based sensitivities.
- Optic nerves, tracts and chiasma.
- Primary visual cortex.
- About types of colours and mixing:
- Two or more colours
- All colours (VIBGYOR) of visible light
- About optical filters and their subtractive nature.
Intermediate Level
3 Natural Selection
- Define mutations.
- About Natural selection simulation interface.
- Effect of Equator and Arctic environments on the survival of rabbits.
- Effect of selection Factors, namely Wolves and Food.
- Effect of Mutations- dominant versus recessive.
- Mutations in white and brown Fur.
- Mutations in long and short Teeth.
- Mutations in long and short Tail.
- Pedigree chart for a particular rabbit.
4.Radioactive Dating Game
- About Radioactive Dating Game simulation interface.
- Define stable and unstable nuclei.
- Define radioactive decay and half-life.
- Conversion of C-14 to N-14.
- Radioactive decay rates.
- Radioactive dating using C-14 and U-238.
- Measure the levels of C-14 and U-238.
- Estimate the age of rocks and trees.
5. Membrane Channels
- About membrane channels.
- About membrane channels simulation interface.
- Types of channels present on the membrane.
- Movement of particles through the membrane.
- Concentration of the particles at equilibrium.
- Rate of diffusion based on the number of channels.
- Rate of diffusion based on the type of channels.
6. Neuron
- About Neuron simulation interface.
- Components of the axon.
- Movement of sodium and potassium ions across the membranes when the neuron is at rest.
- Movement of sodium and potassium ions across the membranes when the neuron is stimulated.
- Functions of the leak and gated channels.
- Permeability of the sodium and potassium ions across the membrane.
- About resting potential.
- About action potential.
- Sequence of events that generates an action potential.
