Physics Project

Group Members:
Adriana Fajardo
Daniel Medina
Tiara Garcia

December 07,2018
 Table of contents
Introduction………………..……………………………1
Experiment………………..…………………………….2
Purpose.…………………………..…………………….3
Background research…………….……………………4
Materials………………………….……………………..5
Procedure……………………….………………………6
Variables…………………….………………………….7
Limitations……………………...……………………….8
Applicaions…………………..………………………….9
Results………………………...…….…………………10
Conclusion…………………...…….………………….11
Acknowledgments……………………………………12
Bibliography………………………..…………………13
 Introduction
The objective of this project is to build a roller coaster and use
physics to have a marble complete a fullcircuit through a sqaure wire
mesh roller coaster. When building the roller coaster for the marble
you must always keep in mind the amount of energy the marble will
have. It can contain kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy
depends on mass and velocity, while gravitational potential energy
depends on mass and height. At the top of the hill, the marble
posseses potential energy, due to the fact that it is elevated to a
large height above the ground. As the marble descends it lose
height, the marble gain kinetic energy. The law of conservation of
energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but
only transformed, converted,transferred to other forms. The same is
applied to a roller coaster project. The gravitational potential energy
on a roller coaster would be the greatest at the highest point of the
roller coaster, from where it´s launched.
 Bible verse

Colossians 1:29

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he

powerfully works within me.

 
 Variables

Controlled variable:The roller coaster, as it was biuld with the

same materials, we never changed it.

Dependent variable: We used first a rubber ball, but it was harder

to slide over the ride so we changed it for a marble.

Independent variable: The roller coaster

 Purpose

This project will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge

of motion, energy and forces. It is meant to be a fun project
andyou will find out how roller coasters work.
 Materials

 Paperboard
 Wire
 Diary paper
 Tape
 Chopsticks
 Elastic bands
 Engine
 Cutting pliers
 Compass
 Cardboard tube
 Square wire mesh
 Ruler
 Cutter
 Silicon gun
 Marble
 Results
The marble reached the end of the roller coaster without
any difficulty. We found out that the marble at the highest
point has the greatest potential energy, but when its about
to end the ride it converts to kinetic energy because of its
velocity at that point.
 Background research

A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of

elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and
sometimes inversions.

Once everyone's onboard, the cars are released and start to roll
down. When they round the brow of the first hill, the force of gravity
makes them hurtle downwards, so they accelerate (pick up more
and more speed). As they accelerate, their potential energy turns
into kinetic energy (the energy things have because they are
moving). The further they go down the hill, the faster they go, and
the more of their original potential energy is converted into kinetic
energy.

At the start of the ride, the cars have a certain amount of potential
energy. They can never have any more energy than this, no matter
how long the ride lasts. Throughout the ride, they are constantly
swapping back and forth between potential and kinetic energy. Each
time they race up a hill, they gain more potential energy (by rising
higher in the air), but they compensate for it by losing some kinetic
energy too (by slowing down). That's why rollercoaster cars always
go slower in the higher bits of a ride and faster in the lower bits.

In theory, this process could go on forever and the ride would never
end. But in practice, some of the potential energy the cars started off
with is constantly being used up by friction, when the wheels rub
against the track. Air resistance takes away more of the energy as
well. Even the rattling noise the rollercoaster makes uses up some
of its energy. The cars lose more and more of their original energy
the longer the ride continues, and, since the cars have no engines,
there's no way of replacing it. That's why the loops on a rollercoaster
ride always get smaller and smaller. It's why rollercoaster rides must
always come to an end sooner or later. The cars simply run out of
energy.
 Conclusion

The goal of this project was to design a roller coaster with a given
set of constraints that will deliver a marble from start to finish. We
successfully designed a model roller coaster that met all the
requirements. Although we were successful, we learned that we
would make several changes if we had to do the project again.
 Acknowledgements

We are thankful with everyone that helped us throughout this

project. First of all we give thanks to our adviser a mechatronic
engineer Daniel Altamirano , that helped us build the roller
coaster, he teached us step by step, he helped us with the law
of conservation of energy and explained us how it works. In
second place to our parents, who gave us all the economical
support in this project. And last but not least to Karen Fajardo
(Adriana´s mom) that took us to buy every single material and
let us work at her home.
 Bibliography

This explains kinetic energy and potential energy:

Brain POP Staff. Kinetic Energy. Brain POP Animated Educational

Site for Kids. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from
http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/kineticenergy/.

Henderson, T. Work, Energy, and Power. The Physics Classroom

and Mathsoft Engineering & Education, Inc. Retrieved August
23, 2007, from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/energy/u5l1c.html.

Nave, C.R. Kinetic Energy. HyperPhysics, Department of Physics

and Astronomy, Georgia State University. Retrieved August 23,
2007, from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/ke.html.

Nave, C.R. Potential Energy. HyperPhysics, Department of Physics

and Astronomy, Georgia State University. Retrieved August 23,
2007, from
http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/pegrav.html#pe.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports-and-everyday-
life/games/games-and-hobbies/roller-coaster