We think that the higher the ramp is on the roller coaster, the faster the marble will go. We believe this because when the coaster is high up, the marble accelerates as it descends.

• What type of energy does a roller coaster have at the top of the first hill?

When the roller coaster is at its highest point, it stores a lot of gravitational potential energy. The taller the hill, the more energy the marble has, so it will go faster.

• How does the shape and size of hills affect the speed?

Steeper slopes make the roller coaster go faster, and longer slopes make it go at high speeds for long durations.

• Why don’t rollercoaster cars fall off when facing loops?

Rollercoaster cars don’t fall off when facing loops because of the centripetal force, which pushes towards the centre of the loop, preventing people from falling off.

• How does gravitational force play a role when the roller coaster goes down from a higher point?

As the roller coaster descends, the gravitational force pulls it downward, converting potential energy into kinetic energy. This causes the roller coaster to gain speed.

• What role does friction play, and why doesn’t the coaster reach the same height again?

Friction is the force that opposes motion. It converts the kinetic energy into heat energy. This is why the rollercoaster does not reach the same height again. Since the energy is lost (because of friction), it does not have enough energy to go back to its original height.

• What role does the first hill play in the ride?

The role of the first hill is to provide maximum potential energy, which is needed for the rollercoaster ride.

• Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy is neither created nor destroyed.
• What do engineers do to keep the rollercoasters safe?

Engineers calculate the forces on the rollercoaster, and they build it so that it can handle heavy weights. Restraints like lap bars, harnesses, and seatbelts are all crucial to the ride. They use sensors to ensure that the restraints are locked before the ride starts. Engineers build simulations on computers to access every part of the roller coaster design. Before the ride is accessible to the public, it must go through multiple trials.

• How has rollercoaster technology changed over time?

The roller coaster has evolved from wooden to steel rides. Many roller coasters use magnetic launch for speed. New tracks allow for smoother rides. The safety has also improved with better materials.

• What is a block zone, and how does it prevent collisions?

A block zone is a specific section that only one train can occupy. It prevents collisions by acting as a barrier.

• What is the tallest or fastest rollercoaster in the world right now?

The fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world is the Falcon’s Flight, which is located in Saudi Arabia. It reached heights up to 640 ft and a speed of 155mph.

Rollercoaster Accident: Big Dipper (Krug Park)- There was a loose bolt in the brake shoe that got caught in the train’s wheel, causing four cars to fall off the track. A single loose bolt can ruin the entire ride. Roller coasters go through extreme conditions, which could unfasten the bolts naturally.

Big Dipper(Battersea Fun Fair)- The coaster’s cable lift snapped while the train was on the first hill, causing it to roll back. Cable lifts usually snap due to metal fatigue and inconsistent maintenance.

Euthanasia Coaster (Theoretical): This idea came from a Lithuanian designer who invented the coaster to kill people quickly and in a peaceful way. Its main purpose is to deprive your brain of oxygen, causing you to eventually die. Although this roller coaster was never made, it was supposedly a method used for terminally ill people or execution.

Calculations:

Potential energy = mgh (based on height) ***Mass x gravity x height *** Kinetic energy =1/2mv^2 (based on movement) 0.5 x mass x velocity ^2

Roller Coaster 1,2,3:  PE=mgh

• Mass of Marble: 12.5g
• Gravitational force: ≈9.8
• Height: 25.5

0.0125 x 9.8 = 0.123 0.123 x 25.5 = 3.124 PE= 3.124 J

Roller Coaster 1:  Kinetic energy =1/2mv^2

• Mass of Marble: 12.5g
• Speed:  0.8255m/s

0.5 x 0.0125 x 0.8255^2 0.8255 x 0.8255 = 0.6814.503 0.5 x 0.0125 x 0.6814.503 = 0.0042590640625 J  if rounded to the nearest ten thousandths KE= 0.0043 J   As the marble moves down, the potential energy decreases because it is being converted into kinetic energy.

Manipulated Variable:

• The height of the ramp ( 25.5 cm vs. 10.5 cm)

Controlled Variable:

• The marble weight
• Hills and Loops (shape and height) were tested for both ramps
• Material (cardstock, cardboard, tape, hot glue, barbecue sticks)
• Starting position of the marble

Responding Variable:

• The speed of the coaster (How fast does it go?)

1. Make a high ramp/hill (page 14)\, a low hill/ramp (page 15)\, and a loop (Page 16)

• Make a high ramp with a low hill
• Make a high ramp with a high hill
• Make a high ramp with a loop
• Make a low ramp with a loop
• Make a low ramp with a high hill

High ramp/hill

1. Make a 25 cm cardboard tower (blue)
2. Cut 3 pieces of the ramp
3. Bend and tape the paper like the red line
4. Cut a 30 cm by _____ of cardboard (Green)
5. Take the 25 cm tower, and a 30 cm flat strip, and glue them all together based on the picture
6. Glue the bent 3 pieces of cardstock strip to the 30 cm tower based on the picture

High ramp/hill (Good Copy)

1. Make a 25 cm cardboard/wood tower (blue)
2. Print 1 piece of sheet metal for a ramp
3. bend the metal like the red line
4. Cut a 30 cm by _____ of plywood (Green)
5. Take the 25 cm tower, and a 30 cm flat strip, and glue them all together based on the picture
6. Glue the bent sheet piece of sheet metal to the 30 cm tower, based on the picture

Low ramp/hill

1. Make a 10 cm cardboard tower (blue)
2. Print 2 sheets of a ramp
3. Tape and bend each sheet like the red line
4. Cut a 30 cm by ____ strip  of cardboard (Green)
5. Take the 10 cm tower, and a 30 cm flat strip, and glue them all together based on the picture
6. Glue the bent 2 sheets of cardstock to the 10 cm tower based on the picture

Low ramp/hill (Good Copy)

1. Make a 10 cm wood tower (blue)
2. Cut 1 piece of sheet metal and bend it like the red line
3. Cut a 30 cm by _____ strip of plywood (Green)
4. Take the 10 cm tower, and a 30 cm flat strip, and glue them all together based on the picture
5. Glue the bent sheet metal to the 10 cm tower based on the picture

loop

1. Print the loop sheet
2. Tape and bend each sheet like the red line
3. Cut a 20 cm by _____ strip of cardboard (Green)
4. Glue the bent sheet of cardstock onto the 20 cm strip based on the picture

loop (Good Copy)

1. Cut a piece of sheet metal
2. Bend the sheet like the red line
3. Cut a 20 cm by _____  strip of plywood (Green)
4. Glue the bent sheet metal onto the 20 cm strip based on the picture

After building everything, we will complete 50 trials on each combination of low ramp with low hill, low ramp with high hill, low ramp with loop, high ramp with low hill, high ramp with high hill, and high ramp with loop.

OBSERVATIONS:

• High Hill with High Ramp: The marble only passed halfway through the hill, then went backwards. Even though we used a high ramp, energy was quickly lost due to friction, so that is why the marble did not return to the same height again (Slide 4)
• Low Hill with High Ramp: The marble passed easily through the hill
• Loop with High Ramp: The marble passed through the loop with great speed
• Low Ramp with High Hill: The marble didn’t have enough speed to pass through the hill; it only went halfway, then backwards
• Low Ramp with Low Hill: The marble didn’t reach the end of the hill, only went halfway, then backwards
• Low Ramp with Loop: As soon as it hit the curve in the loop, it immediately went back

This graph shows the time throughout the multiple trials that we conducted (specifically 50):

Speed→ Average speed on the track

Rollercoaster 1: 0.825m/s Distance: 87.7 cm

Rollercoaster 2: 0.933m/s Distance: 98.3 cm

Rollercoaster 3: 0.9951m/s Distance: 103.3 cm

Rollercoaster 4: 0.8058m/s Distance: 83.0 cm

Rollercoaster 5: 0.6934m/s Distance: 73.5 cm

Rollercoaster 6: 0.7945m/s Distance: 58.3 cm

The experiment is about finding out the average speed/velocity of the marble as it rolls from the top of the rollercoaster. The velocity will not be consistent, but it will increase to a certain value as it hits the ground. We built several roller coaster parts for six combinations. In our rollercoaster, we have built 2 ramps. One is 25.5cm, and the other is 10.5cm. The marble used is the same for each coaster, with a weight of 12.5g. Our goal is to determine how height affects the speed of the roller coaster. After building each part (high ramp, low ramp, high hill, low hill, and loop), we conducted 50 trials to find the average of each combination.

A challenge in this experiment is timing each coaster as accurately as we can. Due to our reaction time, it is difficult to stop the timer perfectly. This is why we conducted multiple trials to get the final average to be as accurate as possible. After experimenting, we calculate the speed by measuring the distance and dividing it by the average time. Another challenge we have faced in this experiment is building the rollercoaster in time. Building the rollercoaster took days to plan and gather materials. It took us many after-school days and lunch hours to successfully finish the build.

This experiment aims to show that the higher the elevation and the initial starting point, the faster the final velocity of the object. Based on the experiment, the average final speed of the marble on rollercoasters with the high ramp (25.5cm) is 0.9180m/s, while the average final speed of the marble starting from 10.5cm (low ramp) elevation is 0.7746m/s. The experiment confirms our hypothesis about how the higher the elevation, the faster the speed. Therefore, the velocity of the marble is directly proportional to the initial height.

This graph shows the difference between the high ramps (pink) and the low ramps (purple):

After calculating the speed of each coaster, we have concluded that the coaster with the high ramps has more speed than the coaster with the low ramp because the higher ramps allow the marble to gain speed. This is because of the potential energy that is stored at the top of the ramp. Therefore, our hypothesis was correct because the higher the ramp, the more potential energy is stored, allowing it to accelerate speed as it is converted to kinetic energy.

Why does our topic matter? It matters because if a rollercoaster is too tall, it becomes dangerously fast. We must understand the relationship between height and speed to create rides that are comfortable and safe. People who could benefit from our research are engineers. They benefit from this research because they need to know how height affects the speed so they can design safe, but thrilling rides. Theme parks can use this information to avoid accidents and expensive repairs. This experiment can be used in real life by engineers to predict rollercoaster speeds using the height of the ramp. Doing this allows them to create safe rides. Careers such as aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, physics education, and many more use this type of science. They all heavily rely on understanding the relationship between height, energy, and speed.

• The bases were uneven- we used another piece of cardboard to go under the rollercoaster to even it out.
• Marble gets stuck to the tape- we removed the pieces of tape attached to the sides and added stick supports instead.
• Reaction Time- sometimes when we timed our rollercoaster, we were late or early a few times.

CITATIONS

• Source 1: fiveable.me
• Source 2:gravityprotection.co
• Source 3:https://www.wearetricycle.co.
• Source 4:\https://www.teachengineering.org
• Source 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8GpXLTSpow
• Source 6:https://energyeducation.ca
• Source 7: https://www.l-tron.com/how-do-theme-parks-ensure-ride-safety
• Source 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irkAtqm-eCs
• Source 9: https://www.kare11.com/article/news/nation-world
• Source 10: https://coasterpedia.net/wiki/List_of_deadly_roller_coaster_accidents
• Source 11: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIO3Td6gKx10dPbboyL0U18syE_zxZU8i
• Source 12: https://www.nord-lock.com/learnings/knowledge/2018/why-do-bolts-loosen/#:~:text=To%20prevent%20spontaneous%20bolt%20loosening,method%20in%20the%20aviation%20industry.
• Source 13 https://www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/science-activities/paper-roller-coaster-template-kit-2022-07-11.pdf
• Source 14: https://interestingengineering.com/lists/6-facts-euthanasia-coaster-kill#:~:text=A%20Lithuanian%20designer%20has%20invented,deprives%20your%20brain%20of%20oxygen.&text=The%20Euthanasia%20Coaster%20is%20an,human%20body%20can%20generally%20tolerate.

We would like to thank →

• Mrs. Pepper for guiding us through our project
• The CTS Lab (Mr. Marchand) for providing materials to create our final draft
• Our families who supported and helped us with the materials
• Our friends who accompanied us during the experiment

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