|
|
|
ROLLER COASTER PHYSICS
Introduction
You squeeze into the molded plastic seat and pull the
padded bars down so they fit snug against your shoulders.
The attendant comes by and pushes on the bars to make sure
they are locked into place. Then the cars of the roller
coaster begin to move out of the station, going up and up,
until you feel that you can touch the sky. Suddenly, with a
lurch, your car reaches the top. As it crests the hill and
starts down the other side, you can feel it begin to pick up
speed. Now you are flying down the track, up smaller hills,
through loop-de-loops, upside down and twisting all around.
You scream as the roller coaster rounds a curve in the track
and you are pushed to one side. Finally, the coaster begins
to slow down. It comes to a stop back at the station, and
you are released. What a ride!
If you like to ride roller coasters, the description
above probably sounds familiar. But did you know that roller
coasters aren't just thrill rides? Actually, roller coasters
are examples of the laws of physics in operation. Roller
coasters are pulled to the top of the highest hill, then
released. A coaster has potential energy as it is pulled to
the top, but this changes to kinetic energy as the coaster
begins its descent. Gravity and friction control the rest of
the ride. Why don't the cars of a roller coaster fly off the
track? Why don't the passengers fly out of the cars? How
high can the first hill of a roller coaster be? What
physical laws determine how many hills, curves, and loops a
roller coaster track can have? You can find answers to these
questions in this WebQuest.
Top
Task
Your job in this WebQuest is to find out how roller
coasters work and use this information to build a simple
model of a roller coaster. You will learn about roller
coaster design, laws of motion, and about velocity and
acceleration. You will design virtual roller coaster tracks
and see what happens to the roller coaster when you change
variables such as height of hills, length of track, mass of
the coaster, and speed of the coaster. Then you will collect
simple materials and build a model of a roller coaster
track. Finally, you will test your track with a model roller
coaster and report on your results.
Top
Resources
Look at the web sites given here to find the information
that will enable you to build a model of a roller coaster
and test it.
- Amusement
Park Physics: What are the forces behind the
fun?
Visit this site to learn about the physics
of rides at amusement parks, particularly roller coasters,
free fall rides, bumper cars, and more. Click on the
roller coaster, then scroll down and click on design a
roller coaster to find out how physical laws affect ride
design.
- Roller
Coaster Physics
Go to this site for a graphic
of a roller coaster with labels identifying the types of
forces that affect the coaster as it follows the track.
Click on any label to learn more about that force.
- Design
and Test Your Own Roller Coaster
Visit this
site for activities that help you explore the basic
concepts of roller coaster design. Three different types
of model roller coasters are described here, and some
basic experiments with roller coaster design are suggested
as well.
- Kinetic
and Potential Energy
At this site you can learn
about kinetic and potential energy, the kinds of energy at
work in roller coasters. Click on loops and turns to see
what laws of motion are involved in these design features.
- Funderstanding
Roller Coaster
Visit this site to design a
roller coaster by manipulating the height of the hills,
sizes of the loops, speed of the coaster, and mass of the
coaster on an interactive screen. This is a fun site, but
it takes a while to load.
- Roller
Coaster
At this site you can learn all about
the physics behind roller coaster design. Scroll down to
find an experiment in which you can design and build a
model roller coaster.
- Build
a Coaster
Go to this Discovery.com site to
build a roller coaster track. Click on the icons above and
drop them into the box to create sections of the track.
Then submit your design to see what a roller coaster
designer thinks of your design. Be patient. This site
takes time to load.
Top
Time
1 class period for research, 1 class period for building
and testing roller coaster designs
Top
Process
After you have completed your Internet research, decide
what type of roller coaster model you want to build. Design
the model, list the materials needed, then collect the
materials and build your roller coaster track. What material
are you going to use to simulate the roller coaster track?
It should be flexible enough so that you can include loops
in your design. What item are you going to use for the
roller coaster itself? Make sure that the item has enough
mass to build up speed as it goes down the track. Remember,
a model doesn't always work exactly the same way as the real
thing, so don't be discouraged if your design has some
flaws. Also, you probably will not need to include the
initial hill where the roller coaster is pulled up in your
design. Assume that the coaster is already at the top of the
first hill. Do not include any kind of motor in your design.
When the track is finished, test your design by placing the
coaster at the top of the first hill and letting go.
Remember, do not add any energy to the roller coaster by
pushing it along the track. Did your coaster come out at the
end of the track? If not, adjust the track and try again.
When you have completed your trials, prepare a short report.
In the report, draw the final design and write a paragraph
describing your reasons for your design choice and how it
worked when tested.
Top
Conclusion
In the process of completing this WebQuest, you've become
informed about the physical laws governing roller coaster
design, the differences between potential and kinetic
energy, and how different variables affect roller coaster
design. You have developed critical thinking and
problem-solving skills as you planned, designed, and built a
model roller coaster. Finally, you have tested your design
and reported on your experimental results. How did your
design work? Did you have to make adjustments to the
original design? How did your model roller coaster compare
to a real roller coaster?
Top
| |
|
