Скачать или смотреть DIY Paper Roller Coaster: Cool Changes in Kinetic and Potential Energy

Roller coasters have steep inclines and descents that carry a train of passengers through sharp curves and sudden changes of speed and direction. And roller coasters don’t even have an engine to propel them around the track. Instead, they make use of gravitational potential energy which they gain when they’re towed up the largest hill which is always placed strategically at the start of the coaster. Potential energy is energy that is stored due to an objects’ elevation off the ground.

When the coaster starts moving down from the top of this hill, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy – the energy of motion – allowing the real fun to begin. When the coaster goes back up other hills, it loses some kinetic energy while gaining back some potential energy. This process continues as the coaster speeds through the hills, loops, and turns that are part of the coaster. But as the wild ride continues, some of the energy is converted into heat due to friction with the track and air resistance. This gradually causes the coaster to slow down until it has just enough energy to glide to the finish.
It turns out you can make a simple working model of a roller coaster using simple everyday materials. Just follow the instructions to construct your own simple but cool coaster.
#rollercoaster #potentialenergy #kineticenergy #gravity