Coastermania

COASTER MANIA

A WebActivity on the Physics of Roller coasters
Schaumburg High School
S221 IPS
developed by
Bill Lederhouse, Sarah Starkey and Tara Wiegand

You're sitting in a tiny car at the bottom of a track that curves 400 feet into the air. Suddenly, you begin to rocket forward. Within seven seconds, you're hurtling along at 100 miles per hour. Your eyes feel like they're riding in the car behind you. You hit the slope and climb like a cannonball fired straight up. Four hundred feet away from the earth, the G-forces press you into your seat as if your weight were quadrupling. At the top, you hang in place for a split second, time stands still, except for your pounding heart. Then you begin to fall backward. For six seconds you are weightless in flight. At last, you feel the brakes kick in. You climb out, noticing that ? well, it's a funny feeling. You feel excited. Your senses are bright and sharp. You feel alive! Congratulations. You have just survived Superman The Escape This cross between the fastest-ever coaster and the highest-ever free fall is the ground breaker of a new trend: diabolical rides that use the latest technology to thrill us more than ever before. The rush of adrenaline they trigger is what those of us who love coasters crave. We can't live without it, and each year we need more.

In this WebActivity Students will

use the computer and access the Internet to research information on the design, statistics and physical analysis of roller coasters.
identify physical theories that determine the operation, function, and thrill of roller coaster rides.
apply specific laws of motion and energy to the designs and workings of a roller coaster.
use the Internet to find roller coasters in the United States and abroad, comparing and contrasting each to discover which one provides the most exciting ride.
compile all research information from the computer in order to design a wire form model of their own roller coaster.

To Think about before you start your exploration-

Where does the energy come from that puts a roller coaster in motion?
Why does my stomach feel like it is in my throat on some parts of the ride and in my knees in others?
Why don't I drop from the coaster when it goes through a vertical loop?
Where is the best location to sit in the coaster, at the front? middle? or at the rear of the car?
What is the fastest speed achieved by a roller coaster?
How tall is the tallest roller coaster?
When was the roller coaster invented?
What the heck are G's?