Roller Coaster Project
Jarod April Period 8
Why are they Popular, were did they originate, and how do they work?
Roller coasters work by using inertia, kinetic and potential energy. Roller coasters were first large wooden slides covered in ice and "crashed" in a big sand pile. These type of roller coasters were popular in Russia in the 17th century. Roller coasters don't use an engine or any type of power source, it uses gravity and momentum. To get that momentum, a large chain pulls the train up a hill that adds potential energy when it gets to the top of the hill the chain releases the train and all the potential energy in to kinetic.
The first law is one of the laws that is being used because the train has to have potential energy to over come newtons 1st law, witch says for an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an out side force. The out side force being the chain underneath the train which pulls it up the first hill.
Speed, Velocity, Acceleration
The train experiences speed when it goes up the first hill, then acceleration when it speeds down the hill, and again when going up the second hill or loop because it slows down. The train experiences velocity, for example the train is going north at 15 k/h then turns to the east to pull in to the end of the ride.
"Build a Coaster." Build a Coaster. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
Harris, Tom. "How Roller Coasters Work." HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.