Step is an
open source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...
two-dimensional
physics simulation engine that is included in the
KDE SC as a part of
KDE Education Project
The KDE Education Project (or KDE-Edu project) develops Free software, free educational software based on the KDE Platform, KDE technologies for students and parents. These educational software is translated into more than 65 languages, so that us ...
.
It includes StepCore, a physical simulation library.
History
The program was developed by Vladimir Kuznetsov and introduced in February 2007.
It was released along with
KDE 4.1.
Licensing
The program is licensed under the terms of
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public Licenses (GNU GPL or simply GPL) are a series of widely used free software licenses, or ''copyleft'' licenses, that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study, share, or modify the software. The GPL was the first ...
, making it
free software
Free software, libre software, libreware sometimes known as freedom-respecting software is computer software distributed open-source license, under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, distribut ...
.
Description
Step is based on bodies and forces placed by the user:
* ''Bodies'' range from tiny particles to huge polygons, and each body has unique properties that influence the outcome of the
simulation
A simulation is an imitative representation of a process or system that could exist in the real world. In this broad sense, simulation can often be used interchangeably with model. Sometimes a clear distinction between the two terms is made, in ...
, such as
mass
Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
and
velocity
Velocity is a measurement of speed in a certain direction of motion. It is a fundamental concept in kinematics, the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of physical objects. Velocity is a vector (geometry), vector Physical q ...
, and their derivations such as
kinetic energy
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the form of energy that it possesses due to its motion.
In classical mechanics, the kinetic energy of a non-rotating object of mass ''m'' traveling at a speed ''v'' is \fracmv^2.Resnick, Rober ...
.
* ''Forces'' can be either placed directly by the user or produced by adding
gravitation
In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...
,
Coulomb force
Coulomb's inverse-square law, or simply Coulomb's law, is an experimental law of physics that calculates the amount of force between two electrically charged particles at rest. This electric force is conventionally called the ''electrostatic ...
or other effects.
The program also features
springs and
soft bodies.
Step allows reverting after simulation, so the user can modify the bodies and forces and see how the outcome of the simulation is affected. All the bodies and forces can also be modified in real time.
The software allows users to add graphs and meters and configure them to any property of any body. This allows, for example, graphing speed or acceleration against time.
References
External links
*
Step handbook
KDE software
Free physics software
Software that uses Qt
KDE Education Project
Science education software
Free educational software
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