Learning physics through computer games

Physics today is not taught in a way that is easy to understand and it is because of this that students lose interest in physics and eventually drop out of the subject. As physics is involved in everything in life; engineering, electronics, medicine, and space being some examples, it is vital that the basic concepts can be understood and explained. Fortunately, modern technology has the means to inject some much needed interest into the subject, and allows for multiple new formats of learning. Technology influences most of everyday life and therefore it provides an exciting solution to the problems faced within physics education. This paper aims to provide an alternative platform for physics education in a format that appeals to users. As computer games are becoming ever-increasingly popular, their role in education becomes more and more vital. In this work, a prototype was developed to teach physics concepts and could potentially be used to supplement traditional teaching methods. As a result of this work, a series of short games displaying physics principles were developed and the results of testing and evaluation suggest that video games can be a viable educational medium and could be applied to a wide range of areas.