Model Roller Coaster Challenge:

When we think of roller coasters, we can usually imagine what a typical roller coaster would look like, especially if you’ve visited Playland in Vancouver or another amusement park in the world. Roller coasters as we know come in a variety of shapes, styles, and thrill levels based on what the designer has planned. A roller coaster can also be made of different material such as wood, steel, composite, chains and more. Since roller coasters can be constructed and designed in unique ways, a lot of skilled people are involved in building them. A civil engineer will often design the roller coaster and then create a plan for skilled trades people to construct the roller coaster – it can be a very challenging task.

Task:

Your task is to design and create a model roller coaster that will carry a marble, ping pong ball, or any round item around the model roller coaster track.

Requirements:

The model roller coaster must meet the following criteria:

- A starting point and end point- One steep drop- One turn- Ball must be in motion for a minimum of 3 seconds- Free standing structure – can be taped down on a

table/chair/desk/sink/etc

Submit a video of the ball going around the roller coaster to Mr. Harmon’s email – fail videos are also a good addition to see that changes you have made during the construction!

Building Materials:

You can use anything that you would find in a recycling bin or arts and crafts drawer. Some ideas for building materials include:

- Construction paper- Newspaper- Hot glue/glue sticks- Popsicle sticks/toothpicks/pop cans/pop bottles/water jugs/- Cardboard cut into shapers- Duct tape/scotch tape/masking tape/painters tape- Zip ties/string/shoe laces

licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

BY-SA

Things to consider:

- How are you going to get the round object to move around the track? Will the object have enough kinetic energy to make it all the way around?

- How will you make sure the round object does not fall off the track- How will you support the weight of the round object?- How can you make the roller coaster free standing? Stand on its own?

BONUS:

Prizes will be given away to the top builders who create the wildest roller coasters. Some ways to get bonus points include but are not limited to:

- Size/height- Complexity - Number of unique features – upside down, around objects, jumps, etc- How long the ball remains in motion- Quality of building construction - Use of creative building materials

Resources:

https://youtu.be/PaKtnAsqlt4 - This video helps clarify the assignment – PLEASE WATCH

https://twitter.com/skillsontario/status/1244002057205567488 - Another example of Skills Ontario doing the same challenge

https://youtu.be/wQgYNAnpNEw - Really cool demonstration of a roller coaster using cardboard, hot glue and pop cans

https://youtu.be/UwE0G4Kn3eQ - Great demonstration of only paper and tape