Imagine you are creating an ideal, frictionless roller coaster. By following this scenario you will review work, power, energy, impulse, momentum, and circular motion.
Part I
- You want the first hill on your roller coaster to be as tall as the three story school building you are currently in. How tall is that (in meters)?
- The mass of the roller coaster car is going to be 200kg. With you sitting in it, what is the total mass?
- What is the weight of the roller coaster car with you sitting in it?
- How much work will it take for you and your car to be towed up the first hill?
Part II
- If you want the car to be pulled up the first hill at a 45° angle, how much distance will the car cover (not vertical, or horizontal, but the actual distance the car travels, draw a diagram and use SOH, CAH, TOA)?
- If your car covers that distance at a constant velocity of 1 m/s, how long will it take for you to get to the top of the first lift hill?
- What is the power output of the engine that tows you to the top of the first hill?
- If you have a velocity of 1 m/s at the top of the first hill, what is the total energy of you and the car?
- Assuming the next hill has a height of 5 m, what is the PE, KE, and velocity of you and the car at that hill?
Part III
- If you then go into a banked curve that is 3 m above the ground, what is your velocity entering that curve?
- If the curve has a radius of 10 m and goes in a complete circle, how long would it take the car to go around the circle once?
- What is your centripetal acceleration as you go around the curve?
- What is the centripetal force experienced by you and the car as you go around that curve?
- Assume you slide out of the car and go flying off at a tangent, how fast will you be traveling?
Part IV
- What is your momentum as you fly through the air?
- If you hit a bunch of straw bales that have a stopping force of 1000N, how long will it take you to come to a stop?
- Would you ever ride this roller coaster again?