Marble Roller Coaster Potential Energy

Abstract if you d like to investigate the physics of amusement park rides then this project is for you.

Marble roller coaster potential energy.

The energy used to pull the. Gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. The marble rolls because it has gravitational potential energy. I often see students wistfully creating awesome looking features that don t work because they do not account for how much energy the marble has.

The same principles apply to a real roller coaster. Potential energy is gathered by an object as it moves upwards or away from the earth. For example a coaster could go between three levels a desk a chair and the floor. This kinetic energy will never be greater than the marble s original amount of potential energy.

They re miniature versions of the types of roller coasters you d find at amusement parks and they include twists turns and loops. Demo a marble run. Marble roller coasters are science based interactive toys that work on the principles of physics particularly changing potential energy into kinetic energy. This unit introduces potential energy and kinetic energy.

Build your own marble roller coaster in this project and find out. As it moves higher it has more potential to fall to earth increasing its kinetic. As it rolls over the hills and through the loops of the roller coaster it experiences a continual interchange of potential and. Students explore our obsession with roller coasters since their introduction in the 17th century.

Start the coaster high and test regularly. When the marble is released its potential energy transforms into the energy of motion or mechanical kinetic energy. At the end of the roller coaster unit students should be able to describe what causes variations in the amount of potential energy an object has. Since potential energy is only dependant on a change in height changing the run should have little to no effect on how far the marble travels.

Energy systems are explained using focus words including momentum velocity acceleration inertia friction and gravity. Marbles have a limited amount of energy so encourage the students to plan their roller coaster according to how much energy the marble has. Before a roller coaster is launched it is slowly pulled up to the highest part of the track by a motor driven chain. Converting potential energy to kinetic energy have multiple groups work together to build a single larger roller coaster.

Why we love roller coasters. With a roller coaster this is acheived by pulling the train up a lift hill to the coaster s highest point.