Simulations:

Not a substitute for laboratory work!

But:

• Allows visualization of processes that cannot normally be seen (electric and magnetic fields).
• Allows visualization of process that are too fast (waves) to follow in real time or too small to see (thermodynamics).
• Allows manipulation of processes which might be dangerous (collisions) or hard to experiment with (waves).
• Allows manipulation and visualization of complex situations which would be difficult to structure in a laboratory exercise (quantum energy levels).
• Allows for easy repetion.
  

Other Open Source Physicsexamples:

• Graphing utilities.
• Motion Graph Simulations.
• Thermodynamics Simulations.
• Electrostatic Simulations.
• Magnetic Simulations.
• Wave Simulations.
• Quantum Simulations.

Easy Java Simulations (EJS). A tool for creating your own simulations.

Forinash's Wave Book project.

physics.ius.edu