The Physics of Osmos

Contest Winners Announced!

avheuv — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:39:21 +0000

We are very pleased to announce that
Alex Christofferson, a student at
Tatnall school in Wilmington, Delaware
has earned first place in the
Physics of Osmos Contest!

His winning video is shown at left.
Alex completed his analysis as part of a class project (here is his lab report.)

Congratulations Alex!

Of the many excellent submissions, we also identified three finalists:

James Lincoln (Video)
Nicole Morrison (Video)
David Chenoweth (Video)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest!

The Physics of Osmos Contest

avheuv — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:20:25 +0000

Welcome to the Physics of Osmos Contest!

You are invited to explore the endless physics embedded within the beautiful game Osmos.
Create a one-minute video illustrating the physics concept that you discover in the game. The top entry will win a $500 gift card to Amazon.com. The top three runners up will also receive prizes.

To submit your entry, follow the instructions below.

Download and install the Osmos free demo. (Or purchase Osmos from the App Store.)
Experiment with your gameplay to illustrate physics concepts using Osmos as your virtual lab.
Review the official contest rules
Create a video illustrating a physics concept.
(If you want to record your screen, try Jing or ScreenChomp)
Upload your video to YouTube, Vimeo, or Screencast.com
Complete the submission form by 11:59 PM PST. January 2, 2012. (Deadline extended.)

Winners will be announced on January 4, 2012.

Is Momentum Conserved?

avheuv — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:04:25 +0000

Motion in Osmos is based on the concept of the conservation of momentum – expelling a small mote in one direction causes the player to move in the opposite direction… but is momentum actually conserved in the game?

This is a big question that can be explored in a variety of ways — let’s begin by just focusing on the propulsion of the player.
Is momentum conserved when the player expels a small mote?

To answer this question, you will probably need to answer a few others:

How does the mass of the player compare to the mass of the expelled mote?
How can we determine the velocity of the motes? (Should we use video analysis?)
Do we need to know the absolute velocity or will relative velocity suffice?

The Physics of Osmos

Contest Winners Announced!

Of the many excellent submissions, we also identified three finalists:

James Lincoln (Video)

Nicole Morrison (Video)

David Chenoweth (Video)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest!

The Physics of Osmos Contest

To submit your entry, follow the instructions below.

Download and install the Osmos free demo. (Or purchase Osmos from the App Store.)

Experiment with your gameplay to illustrate physics concepts using Osmos as your virtual lab.

Review the official contest rules

Create a video illustrating a physics concept.
(If you want to record your screen, try Jing or ScreenChomp)

Upload your video to YouTube, Vimeo, or Screencast.com

Complete the submission form by 11:59 PM PST. January 2, 2012. (Deadline extended.)

Winners will be announced on January 4, 2012.

Is Momentum Conserved?

To answer this question, you will probably need to answer a few others:

How does the mass of the player compare to the mass of the expelled mote?

How can we determine the velocity of the motes? (Should we use video analysis?)

Do we need to know the absolute velocity or will relative velocity suffice?

Upload your solution as a comment.
Bonus points to the simplest and most elegant solution method.

The Physics of Osmos

Contest Winners Announced!

Of the many excellent submissions, we also identified three finalists:

James Lincoln (Video)

Nicole Morrison (Video)

David Chenoweth (Video)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest!

The Physics of Osmos Contest

To submit your entry, follow the instructions below.

Download and install the Osmos free demo. (Or purchase Osmos from the App Store.)

Experiment with your gameplay to illustrate physics concepts using Osmos as your virtual lab.

Review the official contest rules

Create a video illustrating a physics concept. (If you want to record your screen, try Jing or ScreenChomp)

Upload your video to YouTube, Vimeo, or Screencast.com

Complete the submission form by 11:59 PM PST. January 2, 2012. (Deadline extended.)

Winners will be announced on January 4, 2012.

Is Momentum Conserved?

To answer this question, you will probably need to answer a few others:

How does the mass of the player compare to the mass of the expelled mote?

How can we determine the velocity of the motes? (Should we use video analysis?)

Do we need to know the absolute velocity or will relative velocity suffice?

Upload your solution as a comment.Bonus points to the simplest and most elegant solution method.

Create a video illustrating a physics concept.
(If you want to record your screen, try Jing or ScreenChomp)

Upload your solution as a comment.
Bonus points to the simplest and most elegant solution method.