![]() Make a second cut on the other side of the tube (yellow line in the illustration above), along the entire length of the tube.Complete this cut with the utility knife (yellow circle in the illustration above). The insulation comes with one partial cut along the entire length.The illustration above shows the cross-section at one end of the foam pipe insulation. The rise is the height of the starting point, and the run is the horizontal distance from the starting point to the beginning of the loop.įigure 2. An easy way to think about the slope is the expression rise/ run (see the illustration below). ![]() You should also measure the slope of each track configuration. For each track configuration, you should try at least 10 separate tests with the marble to see whether it can loop the loop or not. You'll use the same size loop for each of your tests, but you'll add (or subtract) track before the loop so that you can change the initial height where the marble starts. There are as many possible variations to this project as there are twists and turns on a great roller coaster ride, but a good place to start is to see how much initial height you need in order to have your marble successfully navigate a loop in the track. For the roller coaster itself, you'll use marbles. You'll use foam pipe insulation (available at your local hardware store) to make a roller coaster track. You can investigate the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy with this project. That is, energy is neither created nor destroyed there is a balance between energy inputs to the system (raising the train to the top of the initial hill) and energy outputs from the system (the motion of the train, its sound, frictional heating of moving parts, flexing and bending of the track structure, and so on). The way that physicists describe this situation is to say that energy is conserved in a closed system like a roller coaster. Because some of the potential energy is dissipated to friction, sound, and vibration of the track, the cars cannot possibly have enough kinetic energy to climb back up a hill that is equal in height to the first one. This is motion, so it is kinetic energy, but of the track, not the cars. The cars also cause the supporting structure to flex, bend, and vibrate. The cars also make noise as they move on the tracks, so some of the energy is dissipated as sound. For example, the friction of the wheels and other moving parts converts some of the energy to heat. Some of the potential energy is "lost" in other energy conversion processes. This is because not all of the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. You've probably noticed that the first hill on the roller coaster is always the highest (unless the coaster is given another "boost" of energy along the way). Some of the kinetic energy is now being converted to potential energy, which will be be released when the cars go down the other side. As the cars go through the next uphill section, they slow down. The cars pick up speed as they go downhill. When the cars start down the other side, this potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. At the top of the hill, the cars' potential energy is at it's maximum. ![]() The chain that pulls them up the hill works against the force of gravity. As the cars are being pulled up to the top of the first hill, they are acquiring potential energy. The roller coaster is a great example of conversions between potential energy (stored energy) and kinetic energy (the energy of motion). One by one, the cars start downhill on the other side, until gravity takes over and the full weight of the train is careening down into curves, twists, and turns. ![]() Slow and clanking, the string of cars is pulled up to the crest of the tallest point on the roller coaster.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |