Visualizing Scientific Concepts in a Liberal Arts Environment

Andy Anderson

Amherst College

Abstract

Many scientific concepts involve complex relationships in space and time. College classroom representations are typically sketchy and difficult to reproduce by students, and even textbook illustrations can be inadequate, especially where temporal change is pivotal. Mathematica is a useful tool to create basic images and animations that aid student visualization and understanding. A number of such “learning objects” have been developed in support of the teaching of science, some as part of a summer program that helps promote the use of technologies such as Mathematica.