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.
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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.
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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.
- 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.
- 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.
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1 class period for research, 1 class period
for building and testing roller coaster designs
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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.
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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?
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