Traveling around the Sun: A Project to Study Planetary Motion in an Attractive Central Force Field with the help of MATHEMATICA

Abstract

The present work focuses on the creation of an interactive environment of active learning of an exploratory type, by exploiting the capabilities of the MATHEMATICA software, for the study of the planetary motion around the central star. Through the software environment, students are given the opportunity to experiment by implementing interdisciplinary projects in the fields of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics. The results of the pilot research point to the understanding of the cognitive subject by the learners, as well as to the strengthening of skills, such as communication, collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking, reflection and creativity, showing the direction of the main research that follows.