Marble Roller Coaster Potential Energy

Start the coaster high and test regularly.

Marble roller coaster potential energy.

You ll build a roller coaster track for marbles using foam pipe insulation and masking tape and see how much the marble s potential energy at the beginning of the track is converted to kinetic energy at various points along the track. Build your own marble roller coaster in this project and find out. 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. The energy used to pull the.

Marble roller coasters are science based interactive toys that work on the principles of physics particularly changing potential energy into kinetic 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. Demo a marble run. Students explore our obsession with roller coasters since their introduction in the 17th century.

Energy systems are explained using focus words including momentum velocity acceleration inertia friction and gravity. Potential energy is gathered by an object as it moves upwards or away from the earth. As it rolls over the hills and through the loops of the roller coaster it experiences a continual interchange of potential and. This kinetic energy will never be greater than the marble s original amount of potential energy.

Marbles have a limited amount of energy so encourage the students to plan their roller coaster according to how much energy the marble has. They re miniature versions of the types of roller coasters you d find at amusement parks and they include twists turns and loops. Gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. Given students the potential and kinetic videos clips at the end of the roller coaster unit students should be able to explain the difference between potential and kinetic energy.

As it moves higher it has more potential to fall to earth increasing its kinetic. The marble rolls because it has gravitational potential energy. For example a coaster could go between three levels a desk a chair and the floor. The same principles apply to a real roller coaster.

Converting potential energy to kinetic energy have multiple groups work together to build a single larger roller coaster. Before a roller coaster is launched it is slowly pulled up to the highest part of the track by a motor driven chain. With a roller coaster this is acheived by pulling the train up a lift hill to the coaster s highest point. Abstract if you d like to investigate the physics of amusement park rides then this project is for you.

Background roller coasters rely on two types of energy to operate. Why we love roller coasters.