# SodaPlay simulations

By Murray Bourne, 13 Feb 2009

SodaPlay is a fun way to creatively construct and play with springy objects, and in the process learn something. It is a physics-based simulation that allows the user to add as many connecting nodes as they like and to vary gravity, friction and speed of movement.

What is SodaPlay good for? It’s a great way to introduce physics concepts to a skeptical audience. Oh, and math is involved too. The "muscles" that SodaPlay uses are based on sine-waves and of course, calculation is the core of any simulation.

And why does it have to be "good for" anything? Think of Lego meets Meccano with springs, all on a computer screen. And did I mention it is fun?

Once you start to get the idea and try to build your own SodaPlay objects, the challenges really start.

There’s also SodaRace (which unfortunately has disappeared):

Sodarace is the online olympics pitting human creativity against machine learning in a competition to design robots that race over 2D terrains using the Sodaconstructor virtual construction kit.

SodaPlay is java-based and requires a moderate-sized download before you can get started. You’ll need Java Web Start, but you might already have it on your computer. Never mind the initial setup time — it’s worth it!

You may also be interested in these Flash-based animations by Jim Bumgardner.

The animations are Flash interpretations of the XML output of various SodaPlay objects. You can’t create anything with these Flash animations — just view the animations.

SodaPlay offers many interesting possibilities for investigating math and physics. Have a play!

Be the first to comment below.

### Comment Preview

HTML: You can use simple tags like <b>, <a href="...">, etc.

To enter math, you can can either:

1. Use simple calculator-like input in the following format (surround your math in backticks, or qq on tablet or phone):
a^2 = sqrt(b^2 + c^2)
(See more on ASCIIMath syntax); or
2. Use simple LaTeX in the following format. Surround your math with $$ and $$.
$$\int g dx = \sqrt{\frac{a}{b}}$$
(This is standard simple LaTeX.)

NOTE: You can't mix both types of math entry in your comment.