Purpose:
To understand the principle of conservation of energy
To know that mechanical energy forms gravitational and kinetic energy
To explain losses of mechanical energy due to friction
To understand what conditions a roller coaster car will complete its course
To use the Internet to gather researches and solve a problem
Use the website below to find the definitions for the following words. In your own words, explain how the terms relate to how a roller coaster works.
Click Here! http://www.funderstanding.com/k12/coaster
Use the vocabulary word links below the graphic to find how each of the following terms are related to how a roller coaster functions. Put your definitions in your on words. One or two sentences are adequate. Fill in the blanks to complete the explanations. These can beused as notes and during your simulation and project work.
Acceleration
Define:
As you move up a hill acceleration _______________, where as, when you are moving down hill acceleration ___________. The force of __________ causes a roller coaster to go ____________ as it climbs up a hill. The Acceleration of a roller coaster depends on its ___________ and how strong is the ____________ that is pushing it.
Kinetic Energy
Define:
Potential Energy
Define:
Law of Conservation of Energy
Define:
When you ride a roller coaster________________________ to get you up the first hill. As the coaster is being pulled up the hill by the motor, ______________________________ is turned into _______________ as ____________ pulls you down the first hill. The farther you go down the hill, the more __________________________________, which you feel as ___________. The ride goes fastest at the bottom of the hill because more and more of the ______________________________________________.
As you go up the hill, __________________________ and the ride __________________. The higher you go, the more energy is changed and feel the car slow down. This ____________ of kinetic energy to potential energy and vise versa ______________ as you go up and down hills for the ________________. The total energy ______________________________; it just changes from _________________________.
However, some of the energy is changed into ______. Wind resistance, the rolling of the wheels, and other factors _______________________. Coaster designers know that friction plays a part in the ride. Therefore, they make each successive hill _____________ that the coaster will be able to ________________________.
A roller coaster works because of two things: _________________________________. The wheels reduce ___________: it's easier to let something roll than to let it slide.
Friction
Define:
The amount of friction depends mainly on the _____________________________. A heavier object has than a lighter one. However, in a roller coaster, some of the ________________ into__________. Coaster designers also take advantage of friction to ______________and bring it to a safe _________when breaks are applied at the end of the ride.
Gravity
Define:
Gravity is the most significant ________that acts on a roller coaster. How fast or how slow the coaster moves due to gravity depends on the_____________________. The steeper the slope is the____________________ due to the gravitational forces acting on the coaster.
Inertia
Define:
If a body, for example a roller coaster, is standing still, it __________________________unless some force_________________________. This _______________of the roller coaster ___________is called inertia. The more _______a body has the _________inertia it has.
If the roller coaster is moving,____________________________________ , along the direction of motion, unless something causes it to_____________________________________.
Momentum
Define:
If its_________ or ___________is large, an object will have a large momentum. The more momentum an object has, the _________it is to stop the object or ____________the object's________________.
Simulation: Building your
own roller coaster.
Click Here!
http://www.funderstanding.com/k12/coaster
The following is a simulation of a real roller coaster. Since we can't take you to an amusement park we can do the next best thing. Before you start building the coasters for your challenge, you need to gather information like a scientist would. You will practice and manipulate the virtual track to see the effects of the changes you make. All of this information will be applied later when you start constructing your own.
Complete the following tasks:
Manipulate the roller coaster using the mouse to move the knobs up and done to increase and decrease the factors. Every time you make an adjustment there is a response to that adjustment. Manipulate the track below and answer the questions.
1. Can all the hills on a roller coaster be the same height? If not , why?
2. Can the hills get bigger as you move through the track or must they get smaller? Explain
3. Does steepness of the hills effect the coaster's ability to finish the track?
4. Is it better to be steep or not as steep?
5. If the speed of the coaster is too high when it goes over the crest of a hill, what happens? Why?
6. Why does the height of the second hill effect the ability of the coaster to go safely around the loop?
7. How do the heights of the first and second hills cause the coaster to either not get around the loop or crash through the loop?
8. What provides resistance on the roller coaster causing the car to slow down?
9. Manipulate the track until:
1) the car stays on the track the whole time without falling off
2) you get a speed between 60-63
3) a time between 40-45 seconds.
Make sure to RESET after each trial
Video Rides
http://www.discovery.com/exp/rollercoasters/thrills/thrills.html
Take a ride on an actual roller coaster. Choose __________________________ and download the virtual ride of your life. Hold on tight and enjoy.
Try This
If you are finished try to answer the question below using the following link.
Consider you favorite roller coaster ride and imagine that it could be transported to the planet Mercury of Jupiter. On which planet would the ride be more thrilling or less thrilling than it is here on earth. Explain.
When you enter the website, select the "pick a movie" menu. Scroll down to "Science - Gravity." Play the movie and apply that knowledge and prior knowledge to the question above to give the best possible answer. Make sure to support it with detail/facts.
Created 11/26/00