- Potential energy: energy that is stored
- Kinetic energy: equivalent to motion energy
- Conservation of energy: The basic laws of physics.
- Gravity: What makes us sty down on earth
- Velocity: How fast you can make it go
- Friction: When two objects scrape together
- Slope: Ride/Run
Materials I used: |
I used Duck Tape, a Foam Tube, a Utility Knife, Scissors, an I-pad, and Marbles |
Visuals of my project: There is a tall tube, midway there is a loop, and it ends.
Roller Coaster Phase II
Summary of my project: My team and I tested the second version of our roller coaster and we think it went well. The design we tried in phase I failed because it got cockeyed due to poor alignment. We were unable to fix the bend in the tube and decided to move on to phase II. The second design for our roller coaster was easier to keep aligned because we only used one tube instead of four as in our previous attempt. My team and I decided to mount our roller coaster on a wall rather than on a shelf or on the floor. In phase II of our design, we decided to only have 1 loop (last time we had two). We decided this would work better because in our first attempt the tube collapsed and blocked the marble. We could not find a way to keep the tube open when we put in a loop.
What starting height was needed for the marble to make it through the loop most of the time? |
We determined a starting height of 1 meter and 33 centimeters was needed for the marble to make it through the loop most of the time. |
What can you determine about the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy?
Potential energy gives the marble enough energy to make it through the loop without getting stuck. When the marble is raised, the higher the beginning point the more potential energy, or stored energy, the marble has. This potential energy is released and turns into kinetic energy when the marble is dropped. The higher the marble is at the beginning the more potential energy it has and the more kinetic energy that can be released. This kinetic energy allows the marble to make it through the loop. Since our coaster was mounted vertically there was not that big of a need for the potential energy because we had gravity to help us. Pictures coming soon! |