|
Roller Coaster Physics What makes roller coasters fun? What is it that has people all over the world standing in line sometimes for two or more hours for a less than 5-minute ride? While all coasters are different, there are similar qualities that make them fun, and of course roller coasters also need to be safe. A roller coaster is a balance between safety and sensation while following some basic rules of physics. Mrs. Kelly’s eighth grade science classes have been studying motion through a series of hands on investigations. The final project for their motion unit involves the construction of a roller coaster made from pipe insulation tubing, tape and a variety of other materials. The coasters must demonstrate through hills, loops, dips and turns what the students have learned about speed, velocity and acceleration. For a while the lab “looked like an Alien movie,” said one teacher. The students have built some amazing roller coasters, demonstrated knowledge of the subject and had a lot of fun throughout the project! Please stop by Mrs. Kelly’s science room to take a look at some of the coasters designed by the students. The next time you take a ride, remember that the coaster you are riding is built by following some simple rules of physics.
|
