Careening

Coaster

Challenge:You will construct the fastest roller coaster in class with one loop or spiral, one hill at least 5 cm high at the peak, and a 45-90 degree turn from the given materials:

6 feet of tubing3 binding clips2 paper clips

One BBOne ring stand

2 sheets of copy paper Roller coasters must be attached to the ring stand

 

Coaster must be self-starting (no initial pushing)

Do not put your mouth on the tubing or blow air into the tubing. Below is a picture of where these

materials are stored every year.*

* I’m kidding. But don’t breathe into the tube. It’s not clean and is used to breed cockroaches throughout the year. Kidding again... or am I?

If your design works:Take lots of pictures!

Draw it on your own paper. Identify the loop/spiral, hill, and bend.

Measure every length of tubing in centimeters between the clips, where

it is attached to the stand, etc.

Deconstruct your coaster.

Rebuild it using only your drawing.

How to find the greatest KE:Pick three areas on your coaster where you

believe the BB is traveling the fastest.

Measure the distance from the starting point to each of these areas.

Measure the time it takes for the BB to travel to these areas as well.

Use this information to calculate velocity and KE.

The efficiency of your coaster...

Work is the ability to move an object a certain distance by the use of a force.1. What force causes the BB to travel

down the tube?2. What force acts to slow down the

BB?3. Why does the amount of KE not

equal the amount of PE within the roller coaster?

4. What happens to the missing energy?

5. Is energy ever really lost?

Debate time!

Will this design work?