Engineering calculators, simulators, and reference tools

Frequently asked questions

What is EngineeringToolkit?

EngineeringToolkit is a free-to-use, browser-based engineering and physics workbench. It includes a scientific calculator, a searchable formula database with step-by-step solutions, a unit converter, an interactive periodic table, a free-body diagram builder, beam analysis, fluid dynamics, signal processing, a resistor color-code decoder, and Canadian Grade 11–12 physics practice problems. Core tools run in the browser with no signup or paywall required.

Does the calculator show step-by-step solutions?

Yes. The formula calculator on the Formula Database page shows the formula, the substitution with your values, and the evaluated result for every calculation. 16 popular formulas — Newton's Second Law, Ohm's Law, Reynolds number, beam deflection, kinetic energy, the rocket equation, and more — have hand-written multi-step derivations with real algebraic intermediates.

What does the free-body diagram builder do?

The free-body diagram builder places forces on a body, with each force set by magnitude in newtons and angle in degrees, and arrow tips you can drag to rotate. Weight is computed from the mass as W = m·g so the diagram stays physically consistent. It reports ΣFx, ΣFy, the magnitude and direction of the net force, and the resulting acceleration a = F net / m, flags equilibrium when the forces cancel, and starts from worked scenarios such as a box pushed across a floor or a sign hung from two cables.

Is the periodic table interactive?

Yes. All 118 elements are clickable. Each element shows atomic number, atomic mass, electron configuration, density, melting and boiling points (in Kelvin and Celsius), phase at standard temperature and pressure, discovery year, a short description, and common uses. A 'color by' mode visualizes trends across the table — electronegativity, density, melting point, boiling point — using a blue-to-red gradient.

Does the matrix calculator show step-by-step row reduction?

Yes. Every Gauss-Jordan / RREF operation is recorded — row swaps, scaling a pivot to 1, and eliminating other rows. Each step shows the matrix state after the operation, with the pivot cell highlighted, so students can follow Gauss-Jordan elimination row by row. The same step list is shown when solving Ax=b. The calculator also computes determinant, inverse, transpose, rank, adjugate, eigenvalues (1×1 / 2×2 / 3×3 in closed form), integer powers, and standard binary operations on matrices up to 8×8.

Which Canadian physics curriculum do the practice problems follow?

Canadian curricula are provincial. The 80-question bank follows British Columbia’s current Physics 11 and Physics 12 curriculum across ten focused sets, with explicit answer formats, worked explanations, and question-specific diagrams. It supports the curriculum’s Content and selected Curricular Competencies; laboratory and open inquiry, place-based learning, and First Peoples knowledge and applications still require teacher-guided course work.

What units can I convert between?

The unit converter covers twelve categories: length, mass, temperature, area, volume, pressure, energy, power, time, electric current, voltage, and resistance. It spans SI, imperial, and US customary units alongside engineering units such as psi, bar and atm for pressure, and BTU, kWh and kcal for energy.

What CAD file formats does the viewer support?

STL, OBJ, GLB, and GLTF. Files are loaded locally in your browser and never uploaded to a server. Maximum file size is 100 MB.

Is EngineeringToolkit really free?

Yes. EngineeringToolkit's core calculators and simulations are free to use. Optional paid plans add larger project workspaces, polished exports, template packs, and team workflows.

Does the site work offline?

Most of the calculation tools work offline once the page is loaded, because everything runs client-side. External embeds (Desmos, GeoGebra, Falstad circuit simulator) require an internet connection because they're hosted by third parties.

Who is EngineeringToolkit for?

High-school physics students (especially the Canadian Grade 11–12 curriculum), engineering undergrads, and working engineers and technicians who need a fast in-browser calculation or reference lookup. Educators use it as a classroom demonstration tool — every visualization is dark-mode and projector-friendly.