Roller Coaster Project

Objectives:

TO DESIGN AND CREATE A ROLLER COASTER THAT CAN BE USED TO ANALYZE THE ENERGY EXCHANGES INVOLVED IN SUCH A SYSTEM. TO DETERMINE THE FORCES, ACCELERATION, VELOCITY AND ANY OTHER PHYSICS DEMONSTRATED BY YOUR ROLLER COASTER DESIGN.

Materials

CHOICE OF MATERIALS IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE STUDENTS.

ALL MATERIALS ARE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE STUDENTS.

 ALL CONSTRUCTION IS TO BE DONE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

 NO PREFABRICATED PARTS MAY BE USED

INSTRUCTIONS

EACH STUDENT WILL RESEARCH COASTER DESIGNS FROM LITERATURE OR ACTUAL STRUCTURES NOTING BRACING POINTS AND REINFORCEMENTS AND HOW EACH DESIGN TAKES INTO ACCOUNT GRAVITATIONAL AND LOAD FORCES AND THE MATERIALS USED.

 EACH GROUP OF STUDENTS WILL THEN DESIGN AND BUILD A ROLLER COASTER

 STUDENTS WILL KEEP JOURNALS  REGARDING RESEARCH, RESULTS, CHANGES, AND THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.  Journals have to be a 1/2 to 1 inch binder with group name and participants, as well as a picture of your roller coaster for the final presentation. 

Students will also answer specific questions before they design their roller coaster. Please see journal section at the end for questions and links that will help you research the answers.

 EACH JOURNAL WILL INCLUDE A PRELIMINARY AS WELL AS COMPLETED SKETCH OR DRAWING.

SPECIFICATIONS

EACH COASTER MAY NOT EXCEED ONE METER IN HEIGHT OR LENGTH. THE COASTER MUST BE ABLE TO FIT THROUGH THE DOOR OF MY ROOM (WIDTH NO MORE THAN 68cm OR 27 inches).

THE COASTER MUST BE FREE STANDING AND ATTACHED TO A BASE.

THERE IS NO WEIGHT LIMIT FOR THE COASTER BUT IT MUST BE PORTABLE.

THE TRACK MUST INCLUDE A LOOP AND A SECOND ELEVATION. THE SECOND ELEVATION MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 10 cm HIGH.

ANY DESIGN CAN BE USED AS LONG AS THE ROADBED IS FLAT AND UNOBSTRUCTED TO ALLOW A MATCHBOX CAR AND GOLF BALL TO TRAVEL ITS LENGTH.

PROCEDURE

EACH COASTER MUST FIRST ALLOW A MATCHBOX CAR AND THEN A GOLF BALL TO TRAVERSE THE ENTIRE TRACK SAFELY

A FRESH EGG WILL BE PLACED AT THE END OF EACH TRACK WHEN TESTED.

THE OBJECT IS TO COMPLETE THE TRACK WITHOUT FLIPPING UPSIDE DOWN AND SLOW DOWN ENOUGH NOT TO CRACK A FRESH EGG WAITING AT THE END.

Grading

EACH COASTER WILL BE RANKED USING A CHECKLIST FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE LISTED CRITERIA.

Criteria checklist I use to grade the coasters

Construction:

 Height under 1 meter....10 pts

 Length under 1 meter...10 pts 

 Freestanding on a base...10 pts

 Contains a loop....20 pts

 Contains a second elevation....20 pts

Evaluation:

Ball traverses entire track safely....20 pts

Car traverses entire track safely....30 pts

Car slows down safely at end of track….10pts

Journal:

The following questions must be answered before you design your rollercoaster:

1. Briefly describe the following periods in the history of Roller Coasters:

·The Russian Mountains (1800s)

·The Mauch Chunk Switchback (1870)

·Coney Island (1880)

·The Golden Age (1920)

·Rebirth (1970)

·Coasters of the Future (2000s)

http://search.eb.com/coasters/

 

2.  Write a short description about the accomplishments of the following key figures in the History of Roller Coasters:

- Thompson, La Marcus

- Miller, John

- Traver, Harry

- Allen, John

- Toomer, Ron

http://search.eb.com/coasters/

 

3. G-forces are used for explaining the relative effects of centripetal acceleration that a rider feels while on a roller coaster. There are three types of g-forces. Briefly describe them.

http://www.geocities.com/cedarpoint6/forces

 

4.  During a roller coaster ride, different positions cause different g forces. Which parts of the ride on the rollercoaster diagram (at the bottom of this page) will experience positive g's and which parts will experience negative g's?

http://www.geocities.com/cedarpoint6/forces

 

5. There is an incorrect term in the same diagram used for the question above (#4). Explain which term is incorrect and why.

 

6. Compare and contrast  Steel and Wooden roller coasters.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/roller-coaster.htm/printable

 

7. Discuss three different  lifting mechanisms in roller coasters?
http://www.vangani.co.za/articles/article_roller.html

 

8. Describe what a clothoid loop is and explain why it is used in place of the traditional circular loop.

http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211_fall2002.web.dir/Shawna_Sastamoinen/Clothoid_Loop.htm

 

 

Entries must be made several times a week, designs (preliminary and final) must be clear and to scale. Formulas and mathematical procedures must be accurate and self explanatory. Research must include websites used, books, or any other recourses used. All pictures, questions, and journal entries must be in your binder. Plagiarism will be severely dealt with ....100 pts total

Creativity and Presentation …..20pts

Total Point value of the prject is 250 pts.

Due Dates

Due dates MUST be kept exactly, unless prior arrangements have been made with me. Due Dates are as follow:

Journal with questions answered, and design and materials ideas. No design is necessary for this date, but you should have checked out possibilities...... Nov. 18th.

Journal with preliminary design (to scale) and entries

Dec 2nd.

Journal with work done, entries and any design changes. This is the last time that any changes can be submitted. After this time, any change will require approval (by me) and will cost you point deductions.

Jan 20th

Roller Coaster due in my room with completed journal and all math calculations, pictures, etc. (before homeroom)

Jan 28th