Science Software Page

Macs in Science Teaching

Visit here for a copy of a paper I wrote for a 1996 conference held at the University of Sydney about possibilities of using the Macintsoh computer in science teaching.

Science HyperCard Stacks

• Reading Electrical Meters This is a HyperCard 2.3 stack allows users to test their ability to read the scales of analog electrical meters. It is in the format of a quiz where the user competes against the clock to obtain a grade based on their time and success rate. There are 4 types of meter. For each type, the user has to obtain at least 8/10 correct readings before moving on to the next level (meter). This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Reading Electrical Meters. (208K)

• Vernier/Micrometer Stack This is a HyperCard 2.3 stack that shows users how to read vernier and micrometer scales. It includes a quiz that terminates when mastery is demonstrated. It could be modified to work under HyperCard 2.2 by removing lines of script that begin "speak....". These scripts will mainly be found at the card level. They are not essential for operation of the stack as visual feedback is provided. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Note that this version can only be used on Power Macintoshes (a bug will soon be fixed). Download Vernier/Micrometer Stack (145K)

• HyperHangMan This is a HyperCard 2.3 stack that allows students to play the familiar Hangman game. It contains lists of words in the following categories - rocks, life forms, elements and astronomy. Additional word and clue lists can be entered. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. THIS STACK IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE - Email me if you particularly want it. Download HyperHangMan. (500K)

• Coulomb's Law A simulation of a senior physics experiment allowing students to verify that the force between 2 charges varies as the inverse square of the distance between the charges. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Coulomb's Law. (33K)

• Circuits A HyperCard 2.1 stack. Will work on a Mac Classic screen. Simulation of electrical circuits. Switches work, lamps and meters show currents. Used for Ohms Law etc. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Circuits. (33K)

• Projectile Motion A HyperCard 2.1 stack. Will work on a Mac Classic screen. A physics simulation of projectile motion of a ball rolling off a bench and being fired up at an angle. Initial velocity and angle can be varied. Produces "strobe" type pictures. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Projectile Motion. (17K)

• Half Life A HyperCard 2.1 stack. Needs a 640x480 pixel screen. Simulates the radioactive decay of 1200 atoms. A graph is plotted as the decay proceeds. This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Half Life. (165K)

• Natural Selection A HyperCard 2.1 stack. Needs a Mac Classic screen. The user of this stack acts as a predator to hunt for any of three varieties of "bug". They "kill" the bug by clicking on it with the mouse button. The surviving bugs match up at random and reproduce a new population based on their successful characteristics. (A colour version of this stack will be available some time in the future.) This stack may freely be copied for educational purposes but cannot be sold for profit. Download Natural Selection. (93K)