Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Fun With Roller Coasters





Roller coasters!!! Doesn't the word conjures up thrilling images in your mind and butterflies in your stomach!

Today , I will explore the world of roller coasters, right from their conception to how they are made, to why we love them.

And you can even try your hand at building your own roller coaster!

I would love to see and post your roller coaster photos or trivia here so do share it with me.



HISTORY OF ROLLER COASTERS


In the 1600s in Russia, the forerunners of present-day roller coasters were huge blocks of ice that were fashioned into sleds, with straw or fur on the icy seat for passenger comfort. Sand was used to help slow down the sled at the end of the ride to keep it from crashing. 

America's amusement park history begins on Coney Island in 1875.  in 1884, the first gravity switchback train was introduced. This was the first true roller coaster in America.

In 1912, the first underfriction roller coaster was introduced by John Miller. This design held the coaster train on the track and allowed for more speed, steeper hills, and less drag. 

The 1920s saw the building of some of the best roller coasters of all times. 

In 1955, the nation's first theme park opened: Disneyland.

In 1959 Disney introduced the Matterhorn, the first tubular steel coaster. The exciting features we expect from today's coasters--loops, a corkscrew track, and stability--can be traced back to this first steel coaster.

The first successful inverted coaster was introduced in 1992, and now you can find passengers riding in coasters with their feet dangling freely below them (and occasionally above them) 



HOW DOES A ROLLER COASTER WORK



At its most basic level, a roller coaster is a machine that uses gravity and inertia to send a train along a winding track.
The purpose of the coaster's initial ascent is to build up a sort of reservoir of potential energy
The concept of potential energy, often referred to as energy of position, is very simple: As the coaster gets higher in the air, gravity can pull it down a greater distance. The potential energy you build going up the hill can be released as kinetic energy -- the energy of motion that takes you down the hill.Once you start cruising down that first hill, gravity takes over and all the built-up potential e­nergy changes to kinetic energy. Gravity applies a constant downward force on the cars.


THE FUNNY FEELINGS ON BOARD A ROLLER COASTER


THE PUSH BACK FEELING

Your body feels acceleration in a funny way. When a coaster car is speeding up, the actual force acting on you is the seat pushing your body forward. But, because of your body's inertia, you feel a force in front of you, pushing you into the seat.

THE FEELING OF WEIGHTLESSNESS

It constantly changes its acceleration and its position to the ground, making the forces of gravity and acceleration interact in many interesting ways. When you plummet down a steep hill, gravity pulls you down while the acceleration force seems to be pulling you up. At a certain rate of acceleration, these opposite forces balance each other out, making you feel a sensation of weightlessness -- the same sensation a skydiver feels in free fall. 

THE SINKING FEELING - BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH

Normally, all the parts of your body are pushing on each other because of the constant force of gravity. But in the "free-fall" state of plummeting down a hill, there is hardly any net force acting on you. In this case, the various pieces of your body are not pushing on each other as much. They are all, essentially, weightless, each falling individually inside your body. This is what gives you that unique sinking feeling in your stomach -- your stomach is suddenly very light because there is less force pushing on it. 


OUT OF CONTROL SPEED
On a roller coaster, this full-body sensation is complemented by all sorts of visual cues -- the upside-down turns, dizzying heights and passing structures. Visual cues are an important part of the ride because they tell you that you are going fast.




THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ROLLER COASTERS


I have given an entire page to the world's famous Roller Coasters and what they are known for. 
Follow this link http://amazingnatureandscience.blogspot.in/p/blog-page.html or click on this page icon on the right.



MAKE YOUR OWN ROLLER COASTER


I found this great interactive site that allows you to build your own roller coaster. Try it and have fun!

To make your own roller coaster click on this link : build your rollercoaster




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