Websites to support the study of the Amusement Park Physics
Amusement Park Physics
Provides information and links on the following topics: roller coaster, carousel, bumper cars, free fall, pendulum, and ride safety. Includes links to related resources.
Roller coasters: Inventing the Scream Machine
A history of coasters, beginning in the 1800s to the present. The histories are brief, with some excellent images. Includes a discussion of the physics involved in these inventions. Links to related sites.
Amusement Park Physics
Features information about potential & kinetic energy, centripetal force, free fall, and other physics terms related to amusement parks, and focusing on the roller coasters. Includes a section on physics games.
Funderstanding Roller Coasters
Features a virtual roller coaster in which students can manipulate physical factors such as the size of hills & loops, speed, mass, gravity, and friction to create a successful roller coaster.
Physics
Provides links to information on many physics topics, organized by categories, including: history of physics, amusement park physics, superconductivity, etc. The most popular sites have brief annotations.
A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering
Features engineering achievements throughout the US. Topics include Automotive, Civil, Mining, Dams, Sports facilities, Amusement parks, Bridges, Tunnels, etc.
Fear of Physics
Features non-technical explanations and simulations for a wide variety of physics concepts. Topics include: speed & acceleration, roller coasters, pendulums, the doppler effect, Einstein’s relativity, friction, etc. Includes a teacher area.
Thrills and Chills without the spills
Designing and building a roller coaster. Aimed at middle school students.
Roller coaster project
This is a completed student project on roller coaster physics.
Build your own coaster (Discovery Channel)
Using predetermined coaster segments, students are asked to combine them to form a working coaster. Immediate feedback provided.
Roller Coaster Physics
Deals with topics such as acceleration, centripital force, energy, force, friction, gravity, G forces, and inertia.
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Created and maintained by Ms. B. Knoepfel (Teacher-Librarian), McMath Secondary School.
Updated February 2007.