Building Roller Coasters
Students build their own small-scale model roller coasters using pipe insulation and marbles, and then analyze them using physics principles learned in the associated lesson. They examine conversions between kinetic and potential energy and frictional effects to design roller coasters that are completely driven by gravity. A class competition using different marbles types to represent different passenger loads determines the most innovative and successful roller coasters.
Example student-built marble rollercoaster.Copyright 2007 Engineering K-PhD Program, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University
During the design of model roller coasters, students encounter many of the same issues that real-world roller coaster engineers address. In order to build working roller coasters, students must recognize the constraints placed on their designs and the design of real roller coasters by the fundamental laws of physics. Students learn that their ability to understand and work within these constraints is paramount to the success of their roller coasters.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain why it is important for engineers to understand how roller coasters work.
- Explain in physics terms how their model roller coasters work.
- Discuss the effects of gravity and friction in the context of their roller coaster designs.
- Use the principle of conservation of energy to explain the design and layout of roller coasters.
- Identify points in a roller coaster track at which a car has maximum kinetic and potential energy.
- Identify points in a roller coaster track where a car experiences more or less than 1 g-force.
- Identify points in a roller coaster track where a car accelerates and decelerates.