Second Life as a Platform for Physics Simulations and Microworlds: An Evaluation

TL;DR

This paper evaluates Second Life as a platform for physics simulations and microworlds, highlighting its capabilities, differences from traditional simulators, and potential for educational use despite some challenges.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of Second Life's physics engine for simulations, compares it with traditional tools, and discusses its potential and limitations for educational physics applications.

Findings

Second Life's physics engine can support physical simulations.

There are notable differences between SL physics and Newtonian physics.

Teachers can potentially overcome obstacles to using SL for physics education.

Abstract

Often mistakenly seen as a game, the online 3D immersive virtual world Second Life (SL) is itself a huge and sophisticated simulator of an entire Earthlike world. Differently from other metaverses where physical laws are not seriously taken into account, objects created in SL are automatically controlled by a powerful physics engine software. Despite that, it has been used mostly as a mere place for exploration and inquiry, with emphasis on group interaction. This article reports on a study conducted to evaluate the SL environment as a platform for physical simulations and microworlds. It begins by discussing a few relevant features of SL and a few differences found between it and traditional simulators e.g. Modellus. Finally, the SL environment as a platform for physical simulations and microworlds is evaluated. Some concrete examples of simulations in SL, including two of our own authorship, will be presented briefly in order to clarify and enrich both discussion and analysis. However, implementation of simulations in SL is not without drawbacks like the lack of experience many teachers have with programming and the differences found between SL Physics and Newtonian Physics. Despite of that, findings suggest it may possible for teachers to overcome these obstacles.