Amusement Park Ride: Ups and Downs in Design
Students design, build and test model roller coasters using foam tubing, toothpicks and masking tape. As if they are engineers, teams compete to create the winning design based on costs and aesthetics. Guided by three worksheets, students prototype, test, evaluate and finalize their ideas, all while integrating energy concepts. The goal is to understand the basics of engineering design associated with kinetic and potential energy to create optimal roller coasters. The marble (roller coaster car) starts with potential energy that is converted to kinetic energy as it moves along the track. The diameter of the loops that the marble traverses without falling out depends on the kinetic energy obtained by the marble.
Students design, build and test model roller coasters.Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1983-2001
Mechanical and civil engineers are involved in the design of roller coasters. Engineers must understand how the basic physics concepts of energy apply to successful roller coasters. The challenge is to make the roller coasters fast and fun, without compromising structural integrity, which is critical for ride safety.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify situations in which kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy and vice versa.
- Identify key steps in the engineering design process.
- Model, test, evaluate and modify a design.
- Invent a product to meet a need.
- Create a prototype and final model, taking design criteria into consideration.
- Use science, math, and engineering principles to design and optimize a product.