Adam's Roller Coaster by

Adam Matteson

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-09 23:52:20 UTC

Roller Coaster Physics Project

Acceleration

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-09 23:52:53 UTC

Acceleration is when an object changes their speed or direction. When an object does either of these things it is known as acceleration. Roller Coasters have a lot of acceleration. When the ride takes a plunge downwards or has a very sharp turn that is all acceleration.

Centripital & Centrifugal force

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 00:00:10 UTC

Centripetal force is when an object is pushed in an inward motion. When a roller coaster goes through a sharp turn the passengers are pushed toward the center of the turn because of this force.

G

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 00:04:25 UTC

A g is a unit of acceleration caused by gravity. You might fell some g's on a roller coaster because it is changing acceleration so many times.

Momentum

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 00:13:44 UTC

The amount of stuff that is moving and how fast the stuff is moving. A roller coaster taking a plunge has more momentum than another roller coaster going upwards.

Wheightlessness

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 00:38:53 UTC

Weightlessness is a sensation when your falling. On a roller coaster you get this sensation when your taking a huge dive downward.

Friction

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 00:58:03 UTC

Friction is the resistance an object encounters when moved. Roller coasters have friction with the wheels and the rails. There is also more friction when there is a turn or more weight.

Potential Energy

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 01:25:46 UTC

Potential Energy is energy stored in an object, based on its position related to others. Potential energy is energy stored up and will let out how ever much it has when fallen.

Kinetic Energy

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 01:29:32 UTC

Kinetic Energy is also the amount of energy that an object possesses but in this case the object is in motion. If another object is obstructing the moving object, the moving object will release it's energy to the other object.

What unit is energy measured in?

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 01:35:59 UTC

Potential & Kinetic Energy in Roller Coasters

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 01:41:46 UTC

The potential energy rises when the coaster is heading upwards because it is possessing all the energy it takes to go up. So, when it finally goes down it goes down with as much energy that it took to come up.

History of Roller Coasters

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 01:50:38 UTC

Roller Coasters started as early as the 17th century. It all started in Russia, they constructed them on mountains of ice and also had wooden supports. As time went on roller coasters got more and more advanced. A cool fact is that Matterhorn Bobsleds was the worlds first tubular steel rollercoaster

Amazing Roller Coaster Statistics

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 02:19:39 UTC

The Fastest: Formula Rossa, 149.1 mph

The Highest: Kingda ka, 456 ft

The Drop: Kingda ka, 418 ft

Inversions: Smiler, 14

Cobra Roll

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 02:37:23 UTC

Immelman Inversion

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-10 02:38:22 UTC

How does a roller coaster get through the ride with only using an engine at the beginning?

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-11 17:14:50 UTC

A roller coaster needs an engine at the beginning because gravity can't start the roller coaster. When the roller coaster goes up it is gaining potential energy but when it goes down it uses kinetic energy.

Swerver Coaster

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 18:33:27 UTC

Overall time: 3.82 sec

Track length:7.4 m

Height of start: 2m

Fastest point: 1.80m

Width of corkscrew: 23 cm

Height of corkscrew: 12.5 cm

Width of turn: 24.5 cm

Final loop width: 18 cm

Final loop height: 18.7 cm

Speed: 1.09 m/sec

KE: .0103 joules

PE: .0209 joules

Our coaster video

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 19:01:12 UTC

Corkscrew

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 19:02:42 UTC

Picture of the Swerver and measurements.

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 22:52:17 UTC

My dream roller coaster

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 22:55:26 UTC

Equations for Kinetic & Potential Energy

adam_matteson1 — 2014-04-14 23:00:07 UTC