Atlas of Physics: An Interactive 3D Textbook Project for AP Physics

Atlas of Physics is an open-source, interactive 3D textbook project designed for AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C students. According to the project repository documentation, the resource visualizes physics chapters as simple motions drawn in 3D, utilizing a minimalist aesthetic featuring paper-like solids, ink edges, and selective lighting.

Core Features and Interaction

The project repository outlines several key interaction methods for readers:

• Minimalist Visuals: Displays only the moving object, its vectors, axes, and corresponding graphs without distracting apparatus details.
• Scroll and Navigation: Scrolling turns pages and moves the camera, while arrow keys allow users to turn pages directly.
• Hover and Click Actions: Hovering over elements highlights them, and clicking breaks down complex elements, such as splitting a vector into components or interpreting a graph via slope and area.
• Mobile Support: On phones and tablets, figures stack over the text, swipes snap to whole pages, and taps break down parts, with resolution scaling down automatically if frame rates drop.

Technical Setup and Requirements

For developers and advanced users wishing to run or build the project locally, the documentation specifies:

• Dependencies: Relies on Three.js loaded via jsDelivr, requiring any standard static server such as `python3 -m http.server 8137` to run locally.
• Tools: Includes helper tools requiring `npm install` (specifically `puppeteer-core`) and Google Chrome to generate screenshots via provided Node.js scripts.
• Equation Alignment: The project notes that its equation sheet follows published AP Physics equation tables. The documentation explicitly clarifies that AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which does not endorse this site.

Practical Implications and Verification

This project offers a supplementary visual tool for students studying advanced placement physics concepts. Because this is an independent open-source project hosted on GitHub, users and educators can verify the source code, inspect the implementation details, and review documentation directly on the official repository page.