Galaxyland Amusement Park
DATA BOOKLET
Holy Trinity Academy Physics
May 31, 2013
Names:
______
______
SOME TIPS ON GATHERING DATA
1. The times that are required to work out problems can easily be measured by using a digital watch with a stop watch mode. When measuring a ride that has circular motion, it is suggested that you repeat each time measurement several times and then take an average.
2. Since you cannot interfere with the normal operation of the rides, you will not be able to directly measure heights, diameters, etc. All but a few distances can be measured remotely using one of the following methods:
a. PACING: Determine the length of your stride by walking at your normal rate over a measured distance. Divide this distance by the number of steps and you get the average distance per step. Knowing this, you can pace off horizontal distances.
My pace: ______m
b. FINGER ESTIMATION: Have a person of a known height stand beside or below the ride. Stand a distance away from the person. Close one eye and line your thumb up with the person’s feet and your index finger up with the person’s head. Now use this known distance to measure the height of a ride.
3. You can determine the height of a hill (for example, a hill on a roller coaster) by using the expression below. Angles can be estimated using your altimeter. Distances can be paced off.
sin1 sin 2 h L sin( 2 1 )
h
1 2
L
2 Activity One: The Physiological Reactions to Amusement Park Rides
Name of guinea pig: ______
For all of the rides listed below, measure your guinea pig’s pulse rate immediately before and after the ride. Indicate any symptoms that your guinea pig had by choosing the appropriate number from the list below. Feel free to add to the list.
1. Dry mouth 8. Sweaty palms 2. Dizziness 9. Fast breathing 3. Tense muscles 10. Stomach butterflies 4. Unable to move 11. Upset stomach 5. Cold hands or feet 12. Throw up 6. Enlarged pupils 13. Sheer terror 7. Trembling 14. Other
PULSE RATE PHYSIO. SYMPTOMS Before After Before After Small Roller Coaster Small Pendulum Space Shot
Mind Bender Swing of the Century Bumper Cars Solar Flare
1. Amusement park rides are designed to give you the illusion of danger and speed. Based on the physiological reactions and symptoms you recorded, which ride seemed to give the greatest illusion of danger and speed? Explain.
2. What design elements seem to be common to the rides that give the illusion of danger and speed? How do these rides give the illusion of danger and speed? Explain.
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Activity Two: Small Roller Coaster (Autosled) (For 4 and 5, pick a point at the top of the hill and start the time when the first car passes this point and stop it when the last car passes repeat for the bottom.)
DATA:
1. Number of cars on train: ______
2. Number of people on train: ______
3. Length of train: ______m
4. Time for entire train to pass the top of the first hill: ______s
5. Time for entire train to pass the bottom of the first hill: ______s
6. Height of the top of the first hill (using the bottom of the first hill as ground level): ______m
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1. Where was the highest hill on the ride?
2. Did you feel lateral forces on the ride (i.e. were you thrown from side to side on the train car)? If so, where?
3. Where on the ride did you feel you were going the fastest?
4. Where on the ride did you feel you were lifted off your seat? How did the ride cause that feeling?
4 Activity Three: Pendulum (the small ship/Flying Galleon)
DATA:
1. Time for one complete swing (T): ______
2. Estimated maximum deflection of the pendulum (from vertical use your altimeter to measure angle): ______0
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
1. In each arc, where did you feel the most pressure against your seat?
2. Where did you feel you were going the fastest?
5 Activity Four: Space Shot
DATA:
1. Distance covered by car during first upward acceleration: ______m
2. Time taken for first upward acceleration: ______s
3. Distance covered by car during first downward acceleration: ______m
4. Time taken for first downward acceleration: ______s
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1. In terms of forces acting on your body, describe your sensations:
a. when ascending the ride
b. when suspended at the top
c. during free fall
e. while stopping
6 Activity Five: Mind Bender (the big roller coaster!)
DATA:
1. Radius of the center loop (see pic at right) (r1): ______m
2. Time for one complete revolution around the center loop (T1): ______s
3. Predicted “g force” experienced at top of center loop: ______
4. Predicted “g force” experienced at bottom of center loop: ______
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1. What sensations did you feel as the train was passing through the loops?
2. Where is the highest point on the ride?
3. Where on the ride did you feel you were traveling the fastest?
4. Where on the ride did you experience the greatest “forces”?
7 Activity Six: Swing of the Century
DATA:
1. Radius of rotation / orbit: ______m
2. Time for one revolution (T): ______s
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1. How does the angle of an empty seat compare with the angle of an occupied seat? Does the mass of the rider seem to make any difference?
2. Describe your sensations as the ride increased in speed.
3. Watch the ride from the beginning until it reaches full speed. What happens to the angle of the chain attached to the seats as the ride increases in speed?
8 Activity Seven: Bumper Cars
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS:
Make observations that will allow you to answer the following questions. State the observed facts and justify each of your answers. These observations will be difficult to make unless you work with your partner in the other car.
1. What happens in a collision to each car when:
a. one bumper car is not moving?
b. a rear end collision occurs with both cars moving?
c. a head on collision occurs with both bumper cars moving?
d. there is a collision with a stationary object, such as a wall?
e. cars sideswipe?
9 Activity Eight: The Solar Flare
DATA:
1. Radius of the solar Flare ______m. 2. Time for one revolution (at top speed) ______s.
QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONS
1. How did you feel when going over the top of the ride?
2. Describe your sensations at the bottom of the ride?
3. What happened to your apparent weight as the ride increased speed?
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