Amusement Park Physics

Amusement Park Physics is a complete stand-alone software program that includes everything needed for detailed motion analysis of a wide variety of amusement park rides. The package includes a comprehensive collection of digitally imaged amusement park rides taken from a variety of amusement parks across the United States. Motion analysis in performed using World-in-Motion software - now included with the package.

With Amusement Park Physics, students can investigate the exciting real world physics of amusement park rides. Having gathered position-time data from a number of frames in the digitized video clip, the motion of the ride can be fully studied: time, displacement, velocity, acceleration, momentum, force, and energy can all be readily measured. Students can discover the magnitude of acceleration, or “g’s”, experienced by riders; a roller coaster’s conversion of gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy; and the role of centripetal forces on the motion of rotating rides.

In addition to studying amusement park rides, use World-in-Motion to analyze your own video clips. With World-in-Motion, virtually any motion event that can be captured with a camcorder can be brought into the software for motion analysis, including one-dimensional, two-dimensional, circular, oscillatory and rotational motion.

Amusement park rides from numerous amusement parks across the United States, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Valley Fair in Minnesota, and Six Flags over Texas.
Ideally suited as a preparation or follow-up activity for Amusement Park Physics Day.
High quality digitized clips at full screen resolution (640 x 480).
Motion Analysis Software included.
Includes teacher guide with student activity sheets.

Software Screen Image <CLick to Enlarge>

A roller coaster’s clothoid loop has a changing radius which is greatest at the bottom and smallest at the top. Motion analysis shows that this design moderates the force riders experience when compared to a circular loop.

Scrambler ride – motion analysis reveals that riders experience the greatest thrill (greatest acceleration) when their velocity is at a minimum. Students are able to see that riders travel on a path which more closely resembles linear motion than circular motion.

For some passengers aboard a roller coaster, the parabolic shape of the track combined with the proper velocity creates the thrill of a free falling projectile. Motion analysis allows students to discover where to sit on the train (front, middle, rear) to experience the effect.