PP+ Newton's 2nd Law vs Newsela Student
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PP+ Newton's 2nd Law
This app simulates a physics lab to explore Newton's Second Law, allowing students to collect and analyze realistic experimental data. It includes introductory videos, background theory, and reporting tools for a comprehensive learning experience.
- 3D physics simulation
- Realistic data with errors
- Introductory videos
- Background theory
- Experimental procedure
- Analysis and reporting tools
- Pre-lab and post-lab quizzes
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The Newton’s Second Law lab uses a laboratory cart to investigate the relationships between the force applied to an object and the mass and acceleration of the object. It is part of Polyhedron Physics Plus, a set of 24 iPad apps for use in the classroom. For those who’d prefer to develop their own experiments, the PP Cart and Pulley app features a similar apparatus without lab procedures and other supporting materials. In addition to a 3D simulation that produces realistic data, each lab includes introductory videos, background theory, experimental procedure, analysis and reporting tools, pre-lab quiz, post-lab questions, and teacher support materials. The experimental data produced by the simulations are realistic, including random and systematic errors. These features allow students to use standard data analysis and error analysis techniques to report on their own unique data, just as if the experiment had been performed using hands-on equipment. These labs can serve as replacements for hands-on labs, especially when equipment is not available, or as supplements to hands-on labs. They are also a suitable option for students in distance learning and home school situations. Formative and summative evaluations showed no significant difference in learning between students using the virtual labs and those using hands-on labs. Preliminary results suggest increased learning by students using the virtual labs as supplements to hands-on. Polyhedron Physics was developed by Polyhedron Learning Media, Inc. with partial funding provided under contract numbers ED-07-CO-0040 and ED-IES-11-C-0029 from the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Newsela Student
This app offers engaging articles on diverse topics, each presented at five different reading levels. It includes activities and quizzes to deepen understanding, automatically adjusting difficulty to keep learners challenged and motivated. Students can track their progress and practice vocabulary.
- Leveled articles on any topic
- Adjustable reading levels
- Integrated activities and quizzes
- Offline annotation and submission
- Real-time progress tracking
- Vocabulary practice (Power Words)
- Curated and custom learning sets
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Connect what’s happening in class to what’s happening in the world around you. Newsela brings authentic, real-world content into the classroom with embedded scaffolds that build knowledge, reading comprehension, and confidence across subject areas. Explore high-interest non-fiction articles, Generation Genius videos, and interactive PhET Simulations. What students can do in this app: EXPLORE HIGH-INTEREST TOPICS Discover fresh content across current events, science, technology, animals, sports, arts, pop culture, engineering, space, and more. READ YOUR OWN WAY Customize the experience with adjustable reading supports like Language Translation and Listen mode. INTERACT WITH ARTICLES Annotate text, take Polls, complete Checks for Understanding, and use Guided Highlighting. STAY ON TRACK View assignments, check due dates, and set up reminders. TAKE ON READING CHALLENGES Pick from a library of interesting articles, build independent reading habits, and earn classroom rewards. Why educators love Newsela: PROVEN SKILL GROWTH Research shows regular Newsela use can lead to up to four (4) additional months of literacy growth. RELEVANT AND TRUSTED Developed by expert learning designers in partnership with trusted publishers to deliver standards-aligned, engaging content each week. What educators are saying: “We need tools that are ever-changing, just like the world.” - New Jersey educator “Gives [students] something they can practice independently.” - Ohio teacher “They are pushing themselves to read at more difficult levels.” - Virginia teacher “They were able to connect to the novel, thereby bringing it to life.” - Michigan educator Since 2013, Newsela has worked toward one mission: Meaningful classroom learning for every student, every day. To get started, download the app and sign in with your school account or learning management system (LMS). Terms of Service: https://newsela.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://newsela.com/legal/newsela-privacy-policy Help Center: https://help.newsela.com/en/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Newsela Student at 4.7 against PP+ Newton's 2nd Law's 2.5. Newsela Student also leads on ratings volume (29K vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). PP+ Newton's 2nd Law's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Newsela Student holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Newsela Student has 29K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of PP+ Newton's 2nd Law's written reviews are positive against 76% of Newsela Student's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
PP+ Newton's 2nd Law ships an update every 3 months, Newsela Student every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PP+ Newton's 2nd Law | Newsela Student |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (2 ratings) | 4.7 (29K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 75.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 29K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 116 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Polyhedron Learning Media, Inc. | Newsela |
Customer experience
PP+ Newton's 2nd Law
Newsela Student
Bugs and requests
PP+ Newton's 2nd Law
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Newsela Student
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues on iOS 12
- Binder page frequently freezes or glitches
- Inability to see all available article sets
- Replying and submitting work takes too long
Requested features
5 requests- Add word definitions or translations
- Implement auto-save for writing assignments
- Introduce a teacher-specific version of the app
- Expand content to include more global news
- Improve multitasking and split-screen support
In-app purchases
PP+ Newton's 2nd Law
No in-app purchases
Newsela Student
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PP+ Newton's 2nd Law free?
Is Newsela Student free?
Which has better reviews, PP+ Newton's 2nd Law or Newsela Student?
Do PP+ Newton's 2nd Law or Newsela Student have ads?
Which is updated more often, PP+ Newton's 2nd Law or Newsela Student?
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