2. But amusement rides are fun…
What does fun have to do with
physics?
• Most theme park rides are based on
two fundamental scientific principles:
1. Gravity
2. Inertia
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Title Slide
Credits Resources
Gravity Rides Inertia Rides
4. Resources
Content Information
• Learner.org. "Amusement Park Physics: What are the Forces Behind the
Fun?" . 2002 . Annenberg/CPB. 19 September. 2002.
<http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/>.
Background Images and Photographs
• http://www.americancoasters.com/
• http://www.worldoffun.com/
• http://www.valleyfair.com/
• http://www.rollercoasterfans.com/
• http://www.americacoasters.com/
• http://wwww.coasterforce.com/
Roller Coaster Video
• http://www.elvis.rowan.edu/~denton/video/video.shtml
Bumper Car and Free Fall Ride Video
• http://www.funfairs.ndirect.co.uk.linksindex.html
Spinning and Pendulum Ride Video
• http://www.lonestarthrills.com/
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8. Splash Ride Design
Elements
• Made up of 4 distinct parts:
1. Scenic tour or adventure.
2. Final distraction.
3. Downward plunge.
4. Final splash.
• Cars are pulled throughout the ride by a hitch
or pinch roller mechanisms.
• Hitch or pinch roller mechanisms release the
cars atop the final incline.
• Running wheels and friction wheels guide the
cars down the final drop.
• Water stops the cars.
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Splash Rides
9. Splash Ride Physics
• Hitches and pinch roller mechanisms are powered
by motors.
• The conversion of potential energy to kinetic
energy drives the cars down the final plunge.
• Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy
once the cars crest the final incline.
• Surface tension and friction from the water stop
the cars.
• The element of surprise, rapid periods of
acceleration, and intense splash action provide
excitement.
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Splash Rides
11. • Design elements
• Important physics principles
• See examples of the ride
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To
Gravity Rides
12. Free Fall Design Elements
• Made up of three distinct parts:
1. Ride to the top.
2. Momentary suspension.
3. Downward plunge.
• Cars are lifted to the top of the
free-fall tower.
• Riders are suspended in the air.
• Car suddenly drops and begins to
accelerate toward the ground.
• Electromagnets or compressed air
brakes bring the ride to a gradual
stop.
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Free Fall Rides
13. Free Fall Physics
• The amount of lifting force depends on the mass of
the car and its passengers.
• The lifting force is applied by motors.
• Freely falling riders move under the influence of
gravity alone.
• Riders have a downward acceleration toward the
center of the Earth.
• Perceived weightlessness and rapid acceleration
provide excitement.
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Free Fall Rides
14. Examples of Free Fall Rides
• View a Video of a Free Fall Ride.
• View a Picture of a Free Fall Ride.
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Free Fall Rides
15. Roller Coasters
• Design elements
• Important physics principles
• See examples of the ride
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To
Gravity Rides
16. Roller Coaster Design
Elements
• Made up of 2 distinct parts:
1. Car is pulled to the top of the first hill by a
hitch.
2. Upon cresting the top of the first hill, cars are
released to coast throughout the remainder of the
ride.
• Running wheels guide the cars along the
track.
• Friction wheels control lateral motion
(movement to either side of the track) of
the cars.
• A final set of wheels keep the cars on
the track even if they’re inverted.
• Compressed air brakes stop the cars as
the ride ends.
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Roller Coasters
17. Roller Coaster Physics
• Roller coasters are not propelled around
the track by a motor or pulled by a
hitch.
• The conversion of potential energy to
kinetic energy drives the cars of a
roller coaster.
• All of the kinetic energy is present once
the coaster descends the first hill.
• Rapid acceleration and high speeds
provide excitement.
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Roller Coasters
18. Examples of Roller Coasters
• View a movie of a roller coaster.
• View a picture of a steel roller coaster.
• View a picture of a wooden roller
coaster.
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Roller Coasters
19. Rides Based on Inertia
• Pendulum Rides
• Bumper Cars
• Spinning Rides
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the index
20. Spinning Rides
• Design elements
• Important physics principles
• See examples of the ride
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to
Inertia Rides
21. Spinning Ride Design
Elements
• Made up of 3 distinct parts:
1. Rotating hub or central axis.
2. Seat or car attachment mechanism (chains or
cables in a swing type; a rotating platform
in a car type).
3. Cars or seats.
• Central hub (to which the cars or
seats are attached) is driven by
motors.
• Compressed air brakes bring the
ride to a gradual stop.
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to
Spinning Rides
22. Spinning Ride Physics
• Each rider maintains a constant acceleration,
radius, and tangential speed.
• Centrifugal force pushes riders toward the outside
of the rotating hub.
• Centripetal force (supplied by the seats or cars)
keeps riders from flying off the ride.
• All seats or cars complete one revolution in the
same amount of time.
• Therefore, riders on the outside have a faster
linear speed than those closer to the hub.
• Increased g-force and continued acceleration
provide excitement.
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to
Spinning Rides
23. Examples of Spinning Rides
• See a picture of a spinning ride
• See a movie of a spinning ride
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to
Spinning Rides
24. • Design elements
• Important physics principles
• See examples of the ride
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to
Inertia Rides
25. Bumper Car Design
Elements
• Designed so that the cars can
collide without much danger to the
riders.
• Cars run on electricity.
• Electricity is carried by a pole on
the back of the car that leads up to
a wire grid in the ride's ceiling.
• Grid carries electricity that runs
the car.
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Bumper Car Rides
26. Bumper Car Physics
• Electrical energy carried to the cars from the
grid is converted to kinetic energy.
• Large rubber bumper prolongs impact and diffuses
forces of collision.
• Transfer of kinetic energy causes cars to stop or
change their direction.
• Angle of impact, velocity of cars, and mass of
drivers all affect kinetic energy transfers
between bumper cars.
• Inertia causes drivers to continue in the
direction they were moving before the collision.
• Sudden changes in inertia provide excitement.
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to
Bumper Car Rides
27. • View a Video of a Bumper Car Ride.
• View a Picture of a Bumper Car Ride.
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to
Bumper Car Rides
29. Pendulum Ride Design
Elements
• Made up of 3 distinct parts:
1. Rotating hub or central axis.
2. Attachment arm or arms.
3. Car or cars.
• Rotating hub or central axis is powered
by motors.
• Cars swing back and forth along an arc
with increasing heights achieved at the
apex of each successive swing.
• Some pendulum rides eventually result in
complete revolution(s) of the cars around
the central axis.
• Compressed air brakes bring the ride to a
gradual stop. Back
to
Pendulum Rides
30. Pendulum Ride Physics
• Centrifugal force pushes riders toward
the outside of the ride’s arc.
• Centripetal force (supplied by the seats)
keeps riders from flying off the ride.
• Decreased g-force or weightlessness at
the top of ride is caused by decreased
centripetal force of the seat.
• Increased g-force at the bottom of ride
is caused by increased centripetal force
of the seat.
• Perceived weightlessness, rapid
acceleration, and frequent changes in
inertia provide excitement.
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to
Pendulum Rides
31. Examples of Pendulum
Rides
• See a movie of a pendulum ride.
• See a picture of a pendulum ride.
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to
Pendulum Rides
32. Gravity
• Gravity is the attractive force
exerted by an object with mass on
all other obejects with mass within
the universe.
• The strength of the gravitational
force depends upon the mass of the
two objects and the distance between
them.
• The normal force of gravity is
equivalent to 9.8 newtons for every
1 kilogram of mass.
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33. Inertia
• Inertia is the tendency for resting
objects to remain at rest and moving
objects to continue moving at a
constant velocity.
• A force is required to change or
overcome an object’s inertia.
• Inertia causes all objects to resist
changes in speed or direction.
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