roller coaster project
Title: ROLLER COASTER
Objectives:
1) To design and to build a functional roller coaster for a marble.
2) To investigate the conservation of energy of the marble and the centripetal force on the roller coaster at various locations.
Introduction:
A roller coaster is a complex machine that is a work of art as much as it is a physical structure. Physical principles are applied during the design and construction of roller coasters.
Conservation of energy
The principle of conservation of energy states that as potential energy transforms into kinetic energy (and vice versa), the total energy should remain unchanged at all times and in all places on the roller coaster. As the marble on the roller coaster glides down each hill, gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy; this makes the marble goes faster and faster. At the top of the hill, the potential energy of the marble is at maximum. When the marble starts to roll down at the other side, its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. The marble picks up the speed as it goes downhill. As the marble goes through the next uphill section, it slows down. Some of the kinetic energy is now being converted to potential energy, which will be released when the marble goes down the other side.
Acceleration
An object is accelerating if it is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. All roller coasters have acceleration. If you get faster while going down a hill, you are accelerating. If you get slower while going uphill, you are decelerating, which is still a form of acceleration. Acceleration of a roller coaster depends on the mass of the roller coaster and how strong the force is that is pushing or pulling on the car.
Gravitational force
Gravitational force plays a key role in providing the acceleration that is often the only source of propulsion once the roller coaster has been towed up the first incline. As the marble moves over the track, gravitational
Objectives:
1) To design and to build a functional roller coaster for a marble.
2) To investigate the conservation of energy of the marble and the centripetal force on the roller coaster at various locations.
Introduction:
A roller coaster is a complex machine that is a work of art as much as it is a physical structure. Physical principles are applied during the design and construction of roller coasters.
Conservation of energy
The principle of conservation of energy states that as potential energy transforms into kinetic energy (and vice versa), the total energy should remain unchanged at all times and in all places on the roller coaster. As the marble on the roller coaster glides down each hill, gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy; this makes the marble goes faster and faster. At the top of the hill, the potential energy of the marble is at maximum. When the marble starts to roll down at the other side, its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. The marble picks up the speed as it goes downhill. As the marble goes through the next uphill section, it slows down. Some of the kinetic energy is now being converted to potential energy, which will be released when the marble goes down the other side.
Acceleration
An object is accelerating if it is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. All roller coasters have acceleration. If you get faster while going down a hill, you are accelerating. If you get slower while going uphill, you are decelerating, which is still a form of acceleration. Acceleration of a roller coaster depends on the mass of the roller coaster and how strong the force is that is pushing or pulling on the car.
Gravitational force
Gravitational force plays a key role in providing the acceleration that is often the only source of propulsion once the roller coaster has been towed up the first incline. As the marble moves over the track, gravitational