Roller Coaster Project

AP PHYSICS ROLLER COASTER PROJECT

OBJECTIVE: You and your team will design and construct a working roller coaster that will transport a marble or steel ball along the track.

MATERIALS: Paper (card stock or note cards are acceptable) Straws Craft Sticks / Wooden Splints Paper Clips / Rubber Bands Tape / Glue

DESIGN CRITERIA

1. Each roller coaster should include four design elements:  a camelback  a loop  a wide turn  a funnel / cork screw Note: You only receive credit for the design elements your marble or steel ball completes on the “best” run. 2. Your coaster must be stable. You can attach it to a base board for transportation and set up purposes. 3. The marble must stay on the track through the whole roller coaster. You will be allowed three attempts to keep the marble on the coaster. 4. The track cannot be covered on the design elements. 5. Once launched, the marble or coaster cannot be touched until the marble completes its run. 6. The marble must complete the run and stop within in 50 cm (horizontally or vertically) from the starting point. If you can get the marble to make a complete circuit (i.e. return to its starting point), you receive 10 bonus points. 7. Complete the Design Information Sheet including a neat sketch of roller coaster.

PROJECT EVALUATION

Completed Roller Coaster: 40 Points Design Elements: 35 Total Points Camel Back: (10) Loop: (10) Wide Turn: (5) Cork Screw: (10) Does the marble stay on the track?: 5 Points Design Information Sheet: 15 Points Where Does Marble Finish?: 5 Points (within 10 cm) 10 Points (back to stating point)

AP PHYSICS NAME(S): ______

ROLLER COASTER DESIGN INFORMATION SHEET Name of Coaster: ______

Measurements/Calculations:

Height First Hill : ______m

Height of Inverted Loop: ______m Radius of Loop: ______m

Average time for reaching the bottom of first hill: ______s (from top to bottom)

Calculation of speed at bottom of the hill:

Statement of coaster’s use of conservation of energy.

Neat Sketch of Roller Coaster