It is based on sound educational research and addresses misconceptions commonly shared by students new to the study of mechanics. Students draw vectors to represent forces acting in a given situation and describe the force in words. The computer responds with specific questions. Ten different exercises lead students through the diagramming process, providing immediate feedback. The computer confronts students with the logic of their beliefs and helps redefine their thinking about forces.
Users can draw the forces in any order and change the length and direction of the force at any time.
An on-screen summary of each force includes the vertical and horizontal components of each force which facilitates computation of the net force. Freebody records the complete student-computer dialogues. This data can be used to monitor student progress and investigate their understanding of introductory physics. The ten exercises move in order of difficulty. Each exercise takes about ten minutes to complete.