STEEL COASTERS - Qualitative Comparisons

Top Gun, Vortex, Demon, Invertigo
(pick three)
Begin by filling in the chart below. Develop at least three other points of comparison.

 

Top Gun
Vortex
Demon
Invertigo
# of passengers per train

 
 

 

 

 

# of trains per hour

 
 

 

 

 

# of passengers per hour

 
 

 

 

 

Height of initial hill

 
 

 

 

 

g-force at the bottom of the first hill

 
 

 

 

 

Radius of vertical loop

 
 

 

 

 

Maximum g-force experienced

 
 

 

 

 

Location of maximum force

 
 

 

 

 

Direction of corkscrew

 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Qualitative Questions
  1. Carefully describe the features that distinguish each ride from the others. In other words, what makes each of these rides unique?
     
  2. Use the data and calculations from the table above to compare and contrast the coasters. Examine such factors as the sizes of forces, speeds, and so on. Use appropriate physics terms to explain why the acceleration data weren't necessarily the same for all three rides at similar locations.

 

 Click here to download an MS Word document comparecoasters.doc

 

Updated 12/2003