Further dynamic modelling with LOGO

Abstract

The article describes the use of turtle graphics in dynamic models to teach certain topics in physics. Turtle graphics can, first of all, produce output that is a real-time simulation of the behaviour of a real physical system. Using this output, the problems of interpreting graphs may be avoided. Turtle graphics can also deal with representations such as phase diagrams in physical optics. It can do this in a particularly useful way, since there is a HT (hide turtle) command that makes the turtle invisible. The results of the work done by such a turtle may be displayed without any display of the process. Finally, turtle graphics allow a novel treatment of vector algebra, so that problems involving a central force may be dealt with without the complication of an x-y cartesian coordinate system. Apart from being intuitively attractive, the method also illuminates the concept of angular momentum.