Roller Coasters 7-31-09
If you think your summer should be devoid of science then think again! An innocent trip to the amusement park can open up all kinds of possibilities to discover the laws of physics. Consider the roller coaster which is driven almost exclusively by inertial, gravitational and centripetal forces. The fundamentals are all there!
The roller coaster was first patented in 1885 by LaMarcus Adna Thompson. It was a railroad system that consisted of a track that rises and falls sometimes with loops that briefly turn the rider upside down. Most roller coasters have multiple cars with passengers sitting in a seat in some type of restraining device. Some roller coasters allow the riders to dangle from bucket seats therefore extending the thrill by having limbs free to the open air.
In 1959 Disney created a new type of roller coaster that used tubular steel track and the Matterhorn Bobsleds was born. The advantage was that the tubular steel could be bent in any direction and designers went crazy configuring loops, corkscrews and other wild machinations.
Today most roller coasters are made of steel but because some people prefer the old wooden roller coaster ride and some are still being constructed. Wikipedia states that the steel coasters are known for their smooth ride and often convoluted shapes that frequently turn riders upside-down via inversions. Wooden coasters are typically renowned by enthusiasts for their rougher ride and “air time” produced by negative G-forces when the train reaches the top of hills along the ride. There are also hybrid roller coasters that combine a steel structure with wood tracks, or a wood structure with steel tracks.
Wikipedia goes on to explain that “modern roller coasters take on many different forms. Some designs take their cue from how the rider is positioned to experience the ride. Traditionally, riders sit facing forward in the coaster car, while newer coaster designs have ignored this tradition in the quest for building more exciting, unique ride experiences. Variations such as the stand-up roller coaster and the flying roller coaster position the rider in different ways to provide different experiences. Stand-up coasters involve cars that have the riders in a standing position (though still heavily strapped in). Flying coasters have the riders hanging below the track face-down with their chests and feet strapped in. Vekoma “Flying Dutchman” coasters have the riders starting out sitting above the track, then they fully recline so that the riders are looking at the sky. Eventually, they twist into the “flying” position. B&M flying coasters have the riders hanging below the track like in an inverted (hanging) coaster. To go into the flight position, the section of the car where the riders’ feet are is raised to the track. That way, they start in the flight position. In addition to changing rider viewpoint, some roller coaster designs also focus on track styles to make the ride fresh and different from other coasters.”
People disagree but here are the most popular and perhaps the top three roller coasters in the world.
Kingda Ka is a roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA. At its opening on May 21, 2005, it became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, claiming the title from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main top hat tower reaching a height of 456 feet (139.5 m). Due to aviation safety concerns, the tower is equipped with three dual strobes: two mid-way up, and one on the top.
The Steel Dragon 2000 is a roller coaster at Nagashima Spa Land Amusement Park in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Built by Morgan Manufacturing, this gigacoaster opened, appropriately, in 2000 – “The Year of the Dragon” in the Far East. It debuted only months after Millennium Force and surpassed the Cedar Point coaster as the world’s tallest complete-circuit coaster. It also set a record for longest track length – 8133 feet, 2 inches (2479 m), which it currently holds.
The Millennium Force is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and was built by Intamin AG. The fourteenth roller coaster built at the park, its royal blue track stands 310 feet (95 m) tall at its highest point. The coaster overlooks Lake Erie. When it was built in 2000, it was briefly the tallest complete circuit roller coaster in the world.
