Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of static images that creates the illusion of movement. This optical illusion is often called perception of motion, persistence of vision, illusion of motion, or short-range apparent motion. The phenomenon occurs when the eye is exposed to rapidly changing still images, with each image being changed slightly to mimic real motion. While the viewer's brain processes each of these slightly changed images, the images appear to the person to become motions that are fluid and consistent. For short-range apparent motion to occur, modern theatrical films and animations run at 24 frames per second. This article discusses how, in recent years, animation has ventured into the education realm to help students visualize a variety of complex processes. (Contains 4 figures.)