It won’t be long before the amusement parks are closed for the winter around here, so let’s take one last look at them and the physics behind them.
My favorite thing about this site is the Design a Roller Coaster section, because it allows you to put together a coaster of your own. You can then see why or why not your coaster would fail or succeed. You choose the slopes, the loops and the tracks in between. After you’re done designing (or in my case, redesigned) to your heart’s content, you can check out the Your Safety Inspection. This link is found on the completed coaster design page where you can see your finished coaster. You can then move on to learn all about the physics behind them.
You can also learn all about the history of the roller coaster by clicking the link titled Read More About Their History, which is located near the bottom of the page. Or, you can choose sections from the roller coaster graphics at the bottom of the page.
For instance, click the word Carousel and learn all about the horses and why some seem to move faster than others. While not considered a thrill ride, there is physics behind it too!
What other rides can you learn about here? Well, you are right to ask, because you can learn about several rides, such as the bumper cars, the free fall, the pendulum and of course, the coasters! You can even learn all about ride safety, which is very important, in my opinion.
I think this site does an excellent job of blending physics with a fun topic. It’s sure to keep you interested!
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/par…cs/coaster.html
~ Amanda