Question 1

Can I save my simulation?

Accepted Answer

Currently, this sandbox is ephemeral. If you refresh the page, the simulation resets. We are working on a feature to save/load layouts.

Question 2

Why do the objects sometimes pass through each other?

Accepted Answer

This is called 'tunneling'. It happens when an object moves so fast that between one frame and the next, it passes completely through a wall. The engine tries to prevent this, but extreme speeds can still cause it.

Question 3

Is this accurate enough for engineering homework?

Accepted Answer

It implements real physics formulas but is simplified for performance. It's great for conceptual understanding but shouldn't be used for precision engineering calculations.

Question 4

How do I move objects?

Accepted Answer

You can click and drag any object with your mouse or finger (on touch screens). You can even throw them!

Question 5

What does the 'Time Scale' slider do?

Accepted Answer

It controls the speed of the simulation. < 1.0 is slow motion (Matrix style), while > 1.0 is fast forward. This is useful for observing fast collisions in detail.

Question 6

Why do shapes stop moving eventually?

Accepted Answer

This is due to air friction (damping) and surface friction. In a vacuum with perfect restitution, they would move forever. You can simulate space by lowering gravity and friction!

Question 7

Can I add custom shapes?

Accepted Answer

Currently, you can add circles, squares, and triangles. We plan to add a polygon editor in the future.

Question 8

Why does the browser slow down with many objects?

Accepted Answer

Each object interacts with every other object nearby. With 100 objects, there are thousands of potential collisions to check 60 times a second. This requires significant CPU power.

Physics Sandbox

Related Tools

Aspect Ratio Calculator

Instagram Grid Maker

Image Resizer & Compressor

Image Filters