The Wonderful World of Thrill Seekers and Roller Coasters. Learn About the Mechanisms and Forces Involved Whilst Hurtling Through the Air
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Roll up! Roll up! Welcome to the wonderful world of thrill seekers and roller coasters. Learn about the mechanisms and forces involved whilst hurtling through the air. Come with us on a journey of discovery and design, as we look at both design and construction Scream Machine of various roller coasters across the world. Dare you ride the Scream Machine? Roller Coaster Timeline: 1400s: Artificial ice hills are built in Russia and people down them on Key Vocabulary sledges. Air resistance: A force that acts on an object when it moves through the air, causing 1700s: Owners of ice hills decide to build hills of wood so they can be it to slow down. used all year round. Customers ride sledges mounted on wheels. Cam: A mechanism that changes one type of motion into another type of motion. 1804: The first wheeled roller coaster, known as Russian Mountains, Force: A push or pull that can change an object’s speed, shape or direction of opens in France. movement. 1810 - 1840: Russian Mountain roller coaster becomes popular in France Gear: A mechanism that is used to change speed, force or direction of motion. and faster, more exciting roller coasters and designed. Gravity: A force that pulls things towards each other. 1850s: Many roller coasters are dismantled due to accidents and safety Inverted carriage: A roller coaster carriage that sits under the rail. concerns. Amusement park: A park that features various attractions such as rides and games, 1895: A loping roller coaster called the ‘Flip-Flap Railway’ is installed in as well as other events for entertainment purposes. Coney Island. Safety features like lap bars are installed to keep riders Linkage: A mechanism that is used to direct force or motion where it is needed. in their seats. Lever: A mechanism that is used to move a load with less effort. 1920s: Roller coaster parks appear, with rides such as ‘The Scenic Machine: A piece of equipment with moving parts that works when given power, such Railway’ at Dreamland, UK. as electricity. Machines help people perform difficult tasks. 1940s: Amusement parks close because of material shortages during the Pendulum: A weight on a thread or stick that swings from side to side. war. Wooden roller coasters fall into disrepair. Centripetal Force: This force keeps an object moving in a circle at constant speed. On 1959: The Matterhorn Bobsled, a steel roller coaster, opens in a swing ride, the chains of the swings exert a centripetal force on the swing seat and Disneyland California. the rider, keeping them travelling at a constant speed in a circle. 1970s: Nostalgic, wooden ‘megacoasters’ such as The Racer and The Prototype: A first version of a device or vehicle from which other forms are Beast are built in the USA. developed. 1990s: New features like the inverted carriage are developed. Nemesis Thematic: Having things relating to a particular subject or theme. at Alton Towers is the first inverted roller coaster in Europe. Engineer: A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures. 2010: The faster roller coaster in the world, Formula Rossa, opens in the United Arab Emirates. It travels at 150 miles per hour. How a roller coaster works: Types of Rides: Swing Ride Drop Ride Quick Facts: Recommended Reads: The fastest roller coaster in the The 50 most unique roller coaster evens world is the Formula Rossa, located in built. Pendulum Ride Abu Dhabi’s Formula One theme park. The Watchers The oldest roller coaster was built in The Lemonade War 1904 in Lakemont Park, Pennsylvania. Motion in an Amusement Park However, in England, The Scenic One Day at Horrorland Railway roller coaster in Norfolk, is the oldest coaster. This was built in Roller Coaster Careers: Roller Coaster 1932 and has remained operational Want to work with roller coasters? Here’s ever since. what you could do… Richard Rodriguez set the world Rollercoaster designer record back in 2012 by riding the ‘Big Engineer One’ in Blackpool for 112 consecutive Ride Operator days. Amusement Park Manager Carousel A roller coaster train gains potential Ride Maintenance energy as it is pulled up the lift hill to Marketer its highest point the higher it goes. Safety Engineer Several forces are felt when riding a Set Designer roller coaster, and keeping these Architect within safe values is a vital skill for Programmer Log Flume roller coaster design. Electrician These forces are known as “G’s”. G stand for Gravity. .