VPython Lists - Revision history

Yzh79850 at 23:26, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:26:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:26, 2 December 2025
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	<p></p>		<p></p>

	VPython lists are pretty flexible unlike lists from other languages such as:		VPython lists are pretty flexible, unlike lists from other languages, such as:
	*containing duplicate items		*containing duplicate items
	*easily modifying, replacing, or removing elements		*easily modifying, replacing, or removing elements
	*keeps track of the order elements were added in		*keeps track of the order in which the elements were added
	*elements accessed through their position		*elements accessed through their position
	*containing different data types (integers, strings, booleans, etc)		*containing different data types (integers, strings, booleans, etc.)

	===A Computational Model===		===A Computational Model===
	In creating the basic list, there are two components: the name and the contents. If we look at the first part of this line of code, we can see that we have named the list as 'ball_list'.		In creating the basic list, there are two components: the name and the contents. If we look at the first part of this line of code, we can see that we have named the list 'ball_list'.
	<pre>		<pre>
	ball_list = [];		ball_list = [];
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	<p></p>		<p></p>

	Lists are dynamic arrays that automatically ~~resizes~~ when needed. When an object is stored in a list, it is stored as a reference so changing an item in the list will update itself in the scene instantly. The access cost is also O(1), making updates and finding objects fast. For searching, the time complexity is O(n). It takes a while, but it gets the job done.		Lists are dynamic arrays that automatically resize when needed. When an object is stored in a list, it is stored as a reference, so changing an item in the list will update itself in the scene instantly. The access cost is also O(1), making updates and finding objects fast. For searching, the time complexity is O(n). It takes a while, but it gets the job done.

	==Examples==		==Examples==
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	===Simple===		===Simple===
	Let's say we want to create 5 disco balls and make them change colors repeatedly. We first create a list and set how many balls we want. Afterwards, we add all of the balls into the scene and the list. Finally, we create a loop that changes the color of each ball depending if the variable 't' is even or odd.		Let's say we want to create 5 disco balls and make them change colors repeatedly. We first create a list and set how many balls we want. Afterwards, we add all of the balls into the scene and the list. Finally, we create a loop that changes the color of each ball depending on whether the variable 't' is even or odd.

	<pre>		<pre>
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	===Difficult===		===Difficult===
	For more of a challenge, let's create a circle of balls and make them rotate! First we would need to create a few variables just to define how many balls and how big the circle is. For this example, we use two lists. One for the individual balls, and the other for their corresponding position/angle in the circle. We can see now how important it is that we can access each ball and its position quickly using a list. Finally, we create a while loop to ~~continuosly~~ update the balls' position so that they appear to be rotating in a circle!		For more of a challenge, let's create a circle of balls and make them rotate! First, we would need to create a few variables just to define how many balls and how big the circle is. For this example, we use two lists. One for the individual balls, and the other for their corresponding position/angle in the circle. We can see now how important it is that we can access each ball and its position quickly using a list. Finally, we create a while loop to continuously update the balls' position so that they appear to be rotating in a circle!

	<p></p>		<p></p>
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	==Connectedness==		==Connectedness==
	Lists are incredibly important, and they interact naturally with other data structures in VPython. Combinations like lists, vector math, 3D rendering, loops, and randomness ~~makes~~ VPython an incredibly versatile and ideal teaching model for students. Not only will they be able to review physics concepts, students begin to think computationally and develop more programming skills. In the state of the world, even understanding a bit of programming is vital.		Lists are incredibly important, and they interact naturally with other data structures in VPython. Combinations like lists, vector math, 3D rendering, loops, and randomness make VPython an incredibly versatile and ideal teaching model for students. Not only will they be able to review physics concepts, but students will also begin to think computationally and develop more programming skills. In the state of the world, even understanding a bit of programming is vital.

	==History==		==History==
	The word ''list'' comes from the Middle Ages where it was used to refer to bordered grounds of a jousting field. This early meaning, being derived from Germanic roots of the word ''band'' or ''border'', was meant to emphasize order and structure. Over the following centuries, the term began to expand. Medieval administrations kept names on "rolls", merchants in the 1600s "listed" goods for sale, and political revolutions formalized "ordered" records through roll calls. By the 19th century, mail-order catalogs and growing commercial record-keeping practices helped establish the list as a standard tool for organizing information.		The word ''list'' comes from the Middle Ages, where it was used to refer to the bordered grounds of a jousting field. This early meaning, being derived from Germanic roots of the word ''band'' or ''border'', was meant to emphasize order and structure. Over the following centuries, the term began to expand. Medieval administrations kept names on "rolls", merchants in the 1600s "listed" goods for sale, and political revolutions formalized "ordered" records through roll calls. By the 19th century, mail-order catalogs and growing commercial record-keeping practices helped establish the list as a standard tool for organizing information.

	<p></p>		<p></p>

	Later, the computational list began to emerge in the 20th century due to the introduction of data-processing machines that could arrange information sequentially on punch cards. This idea reached a major ~~milestond~~ in 1958 with the creation of LISP, a programming language built entirely around list processing. As computer science progressed, the term became essential to data structures for storing ordered collections of values. VPython integrates lists perfectly within its own language, creating something for you and me to learn and experiment with.		Later, the computational list began to emerge in the 20th century due to the introduction of data-processing machines that could arrange information sequentially on punch cards. This idea reached a major milestone in 1958 with the creation of LISP, a programming language built entirely around list processing. As computer science progressed, the term became essential to data structures for storing ordered collections of values. VPython integrates lists perfectly within its own language, creating something for you and me to learn and experiment with.

Yzh79850 at 23:18, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:18:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:18, 2 December 2025
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	</pre>		</pre>

	[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|5 disco balls rapidly changing colors]]		[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|5 disco balls rapidly changing colors (click to see the gif if you can't)]]

	===Difficult===		===Difficult===
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	For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?		For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?

	[[File:BallSpinning.gif\|thumb\|various cyan balls spinning counter clockwise in a circle]]		[[File:BallSpinning.gif\|thumb\|various cyan balls spinning counter clockwise in a circle (click to see the gif if you can't)]]
	<pre>		<pre>
	num_balls = 50		num_balls = 50

Yzh79850 at 23:17, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:17:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:17, 2 December 2025
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	===External Links===		===External Links===
	https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5		https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5
			https://www.glowscript.org/#/user/yzh79850/folder/MyPrograms/program/WikiTest

	==References==		==References==
			https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RVZ9UvLoB0
			https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upMOE4XhpJk
			https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python/python-lists/
			https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5
			https://www.w3schools.com/python/python_lists.asp

Yzh79850: /* See Also */

2025-12-02T23:15:38Z

Yzh79850 at 23:15, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:15:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:15, 2 December 2025
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	==See Also==		==See Also==
	[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/~~VPython~~ VPython Animation]		[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/VPython_Animation VPython Animation]

	===External Links===		===External Links===

Yzh79850 at 23:14, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:14:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:14, 2 December 2025
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	==See Also==		==See Also==
			[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/VPython VPython Animation]

	===External Links===		===External Links===

Yzh79850 at 23:13, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T23:13:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:13, 2 December 2025
Line 153:		Line 153:

	==Connectedness==		==Connectedness==
			Lists are incredibly important, and they interact naturally with other data structures in VPython. Combinations like lists, vector math, 3D rendering, loops, and randomness makes VPython an incredibly versatile and ideal teaching model for students. Not only will they be able to review physics concepts, students begin to think computationally and develop more programming skills. In the state of the world, even understanding a bit of programming is vital.

	==History==		==History==
			The word ''list'' comes from the Middle Ages where it was used to refer to bordered grounds of a jousting field. This early meaning, being derived from Germanic roots of the word ''band'' or ''border'', was meant to emphasize order and structure. Over the following centuries, the term began to expand. Medieval administrations kept names on "rolls", merchants in the 1600s "listed" goods for sale, and political revolutions formalized "ordered" records through roll calls. By the 19th century, mail-order catalogs and growing commercial record-keeping practices helped establish the list as a standard tool for organizing information.

			<p></p>

	~~==See Also==~~		Later, the computational list began to emerge in the 20th century due to the introduction of data-processing machines that could arrange information sequentially on punch cards. This idea reached a major milestond in 1958 with the creation of LISP, a programming language built entirely around list processing. As computer science progressed, the term became essential to data structures for storing ordered collections of values. VPython integrates lists perfectly within its own language, creating something for you and me to learn and experiment with.

	~~===Further Reading===~~

			==See Also==

	===External Links===		===External Links===
			https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5


	==References==		==References==

Yzh79850 at 22:49, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T22:49:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:49, 2 December 2025
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	[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|5 disco balls rapidly changing colors]]		[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|5 disco balls rapidly changing colors]]

	===~~Middling~~===		===Difficult===
	For more of a challenge, let's create a circle of balls and make them rotate! First we would need to create a few variables just to define how many balls and how big the circle is. For this example, we use two lists. One for the individual balls, and the other for their corresponding position/angle in the circle. We can see now how important it is that we can access each ball and its position quickly using a list. Finally, we create a while loop to continuosly update the balls' position so that they appear to be rotating in a circle!		For more of a challenge, let's create a circle of balls and make them rotate! First we would need to create a few variables just to define how many balls and how big the circle is. For this example, we use two lists. One for the individual balls, and the other for their corresponding position/angle in the circle. We can see now how important it is that we can access each ball and its position quickly using a list. Finally, we create a while loop to continuosly update the balls' position so that they appear to be rotating in a circle!

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	balls[k].pos = vector(radius * cos(theta), radius * sin(theta), 0)		balls[k].pos = vector(radius * cos(theta), radius * sin(theta), 0)
	</pre>		</pre>

	~~===Difficult===~~

Yzh79850 at 22:23, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T22:23:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:23, 2 December 2025
Line 117:		Line 117:
	</pre>		</pre>

	[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|~~Please show up please please~~]]		[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|5 disco balls rapidly changing colors]]

	===Middling===		===Middling===
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	For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?		For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?

	[[File:BallSpinning.gif\|thumb\|~~Bro~~]]		[[File:BallSpinning.gif\|thumb\|various cyan balls spinning counter clockwise in a circle]]
	<pre>		<pre>
	num_balls = 50		num_balls = 50

Yzh79850 at 22:21, 2 December 2025

2025-12-02T22:21:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:21, 2 December 2025
Line 117:		Line 117:
	</pre>		</pre>

	[[File:~~Disco1~~.~~png~~\|thumb\|~~Caption for your GIF]]~~		[[File:Disco.gif\|thumb\|Please show up please please]]
	~~[[File:Disco2.png\|thumb\|Caption for your GIF~~]]

	===Middling===		===Middling===
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	For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?		For a bonus challenge, what would we do to make the balls turn in the opposite direction?

			[[File:BallSpinning.gif\|thumb\|Bro]]
	<pre>		<pre>
	num_balls = 50		num_balls = 50

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:15, 2 December 2025
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	==See Also==		==See Also==
	[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/VPython_Animation VPython Animation]		[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/VPython_Animation VPython Animation]
			[http://www.physicsbook.gatech.edu/VPython_Loops VPython Loops]

	===External Links===		===External Links===
	https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5		https://medium.com/circa-navigate/the-long-listed-history-of-the-list-4c4da36a4ed5


	==References==		==References==