I've seen students make awesome looking roller coasters, but because of a lack of testing, it fails right at the start. Remember, momentum is the force that keep the marble going in the direction it's currently moving. Sudden turns or drops that do not account for the marble's momentum may result in the marble flying off of the track. Start the coaster high and test regularly. 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. Marbles have a limited amount of energy, so encourage the students to plan their roller coaster according to how much energy the marble has. Remind the students that the tape needs to be smoothly applied. Encourage experimentation and you'll be amazed with the ingenious ideas that arise in your class!Īfter I show my students the basics of how to construct the roller coaster, I end my lecture with the 4 big mistakes that I see people make: These are the most common roller coaster elements, but I've also seen funnels made of newspaper, jumps, tunnels, corkscrews, helixes, double and triple loops, suspended tracks, and configurations that don't have a name. In the photo with the upside-down loop, you can also see how to secure track alongside a wall by using a long piece of tape. Upside-down loops are created by taping a piece of track upside-down onto the end of a track, then curving the upside-down piece so that it becomes right-side up. If the hill is too small and the marble is travelling too fast, the marble's momentum will carry it up the hill and then continue it's trajectory off the track. This is another good opportunity to illustrate the negative effects of momentum. Hills can be made by securing the track to a flat surface, then lifting the middle of the track up and securing the other end. Centripetal force is like momentum: it's when an object wants to keep moving forward, except that it's forced into a circular path. You can explain that loops work because of centripetal force. Loops can be created by securing the track to a flat surface, then bending the track upside down and securing the other end. Now for the fun stuff! A roller coaster that just goes in a straight line can be fun, but I find it much more satisfying to include exciting elements. Students will also have an unstructured opportunity to hone teambuilding skills as they communicate with their peers during roller coaster construction.Through a cycle of building, testing, observing and revision, students will gain an experiential understanding of fundamental physics concepts and the basics of successful roller coaster construction.Students will apply their understanding of those concepts as they construct and text their roller coaster.Students will comprehend basic physics concepts that are applicable to roller coaster construction, including potential energy, kinetic energy, and momentum.Encourage students to work in groups of 3-5 people.There are different but related concepts - help students use them correctly. Briefly define momentum (a force that keeps something moving in the direction it's already going in), speed (how fast an object is moving), and energy (how much force an object has because it is moving).Show students the construction techniques from steps 3-6 in 5 minutes or less.Demonstrate how the marble can roll in the track.Identify the two parts: the foam tubing (roller coaster track) and marbles.Then have everyone gently take apart only their own roller coaster and clump all the used tape into a giant tape ball Prep: Arrange plenty of space in your roomĬleanup: Allow 2 minutes near end of class for students to try each others coasters. Here's a brief clip from some in-class footage that I took during one of my classes: You can find the lesson plan, 1-page project sheet, and more project ideas at I'd like to note that the concept for this project is not my own, but the building and teaching techniques are. This project reaches a wide span of grade ranges, from K-12. It's an open-ended, fast-paced, constantly evolving, and easy to explain. That's the response I get from students who've taken my engineering classes before when they find out it's marble roller coaster day. "We're doing the roller coasters?! Yes!!"
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