Marble Roller Coaster Potential Energy

You ll build a roller coaster track for marbles using foam pipe insulation and masking tape and see how much the marble s potential energy at the beginning of the track is converted to kinetic energy at various points along the track.

Marble roller coaster potential energy.

Given students the potential and kinetic videos clips at the end of the roller coaster unit students should be able to explain the difference between potential and kinetic energy. Potential energy is gathered by an object as it moves upwards or away from the earth. Background roller coasters rely on two types of energy to operate. Why we love roller coasters.

As it rolls over the hills and through the loops of the roller coaster it experiences a continual interchange of potential and. When the marble is released its potential energy transforms into the energy of motion or mechanical kinetic energy. Converting potential energy to kinetic energy have multiple groups work together to build a single larger roller coaster. Before a roller coaster is launched it is slowly pulled up to the highest part of the track by a motor driven chain.

They re miniature versions of the types of roller coasters you d find at amusement parks and they include twists turns and loops. The marble rolls because it has gravitational potential energy. This kinetic energy will never be greater than the marble s original amount of potential energy. I often see students wistfully creating awesome looking features that don t work because they do not account for how much energy the marble has.

For example a coaster could go between three levels a desk a chair and the floor. Start the coaster high and test regularly. Students explore our obsession with roller coasters since their introduction in the 17th century. Gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.

With a roller coaster this is acheived by pulling the train up a lift hill to the coaster s highest point. Since potential energy is only dependant on a change in height changing the run should have little to no effect on how far the marble travels. Energy systems are explained using focus words including momentum velocity acceleration inertia friction and gravity. Marbles have a limited amount of energy so encourage the students to plan their roller coaster according to how much energy the marble has.

This unit introduces potential energy and kinetic energy. Abstract if you d like to investigate the physics of amusement park rides then this project is for you. Build your own marble roller coaster in this project and find out. Marble roller coasters are science based interactive toys that work on the principles of physics particularly changing potential energy into kinetic energy.

Demo a marble run. As it moves higher it has more potential to fall to earth increasing its kinetic.