Every year an estimated 290 million people all over the world flock to amusement and theme parks to experience the thrills and excitement of the modern day roller coaster. (Boldurian 16). Now thousands of people a day can safely experience the G-forces that an astronaut or fighter pilot would experience in flight. "The Revolution" a roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia California gives riders an amazing 4.9 Gs; that is 1.5 more than an astronaut at launch. (Boldurian 16). These G-forces create thrills and fear and excitement in all who ride them. But the truth is that there is no reason to fear. Roller Coasters are exceptionally safe. The mortality rate for roller coasters is one in 90 million, and most of the fatality occurred due to failure to follow safety guidelines. (Boldurian 17). But roller coasters have not always been this safe. One of the first coaster attractions was actually just a mine rail designed to bring coal to the base of the mountain (Lemelson-MIT Program). The attraction was a thirty minute ride, with speeds of more than one-hundred miles per hour. As time went on entrepreneurs in the late 1800's began creating “quick buck cheap thrill attractions.” These early coasters lacked safety for the sake of thrills. This changed when John A. Miller engineer and roller coaster designer began making coasters. John Miller held over 100 patents many of which were for roller coaster safety and functionality that are still used today (Lemelson-MIT Program). John Miller's inventions and improvements to the roller coaster make him the father of the modern roller coaster that we know today. John Miller was born in 1874 and at the age of 19 he began working with roller coaster engineer and designer ... ... middle of paper ... ...ller coasters forever and continues to be found on roller coasters today. This device and the hundreds of other devices he engineered make him the father of the roller coaster. And thanks to John Miller thousands of people can experience hills, drops, banks, loops with just the fear of losing their lunch. Works Cited Boldurian, M. A. “SCREAM MACHINES: THE SCIENCE OF ROLLER COASTERS .” CARNEGIE MAGAZINE 30 Sept. 2000: 16-23. Cartmell, Robert Cartmell. The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster. N.p.: Popular Press, 1987. Lemelson-MIT Program . Dept. home page. Nov. 2004. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 17 Sept. 2008 . Rutherford, Scott. The American Roller Coaster. Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company, 2000. Schafer, Mike, and Scott Rutherford. Roller Coasters . N.p.: MBI , 1998.
George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.(14 Feb. 1859-22 Nov. 1896) was a civil engineer/ construction engineer who invented the Ferris Wheel. George Ferris was born in Galesburg, Illinois to farmers, George Washington Gale Ferris Sr. and Martha Edgerton Hyde Ferris. He lived with his 4 sisters and 2 brothers. When Ferris 5 years old his family sold their farm and headed toward San Jose, California. Unfortunately in the middle of their journey they ran out of money and had to settle in Carson City. In Carson City they made a ranch and Ferris helped his father farm for 9 years before going to California Military Academy in 1873. In 1876 he graduated and applied for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York to study civil engineering.
Ever wondered how roller coasters work? It’s not with an engine! Roller coasters rely on a motorized chain and a series of phenomena to keep them going. Phenomena are situations or facts that have been observed and proven to exist. A few types of phenomena that help rollercoasters are gravity, kinetic and potential energy, and inertia. Gravity pulls roller coasters along the track as they’re going downhill. Potential and kinetic energy help rollercoasters to ascend hills and gain enough momentum to descend them and finish the track. Inertia keeps passengers pressed towards the outside of a loop-the-loop and in their seat. Gravity, potential and kinetic energy, and inertia are three types of phenomena that can be observed by watching roller
It was the summer of 2012 and my family was taking another trip to Six Flags Great America. Earlier that summer we went just for me to be disappointed. At the time I wasn’t 54 inches yet and couldn’t ride any of the rides that I wanted to because they were the most popular at the amusement park. But, I hit a growth spurt between trips and we planned to ride all of the big rollercoasters. The one that I was most terrified of at the time was Raging Bull, one of the tallest, fastest, and longest steel coasters in the US. As we started to wait in line for the ride I was shaking with both anticipation and fear and began to rethink my idea to ride the rollercoaster. I decided to stay in line and see what many people thought was a great coaster.
1. Annenberg/CPB. “Roller Coaster History” Amusement Park Physics: What are the forces behind the fun?. Learner.org http://www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/coaster2.html. . April 29, 2003.
Roller coasters are driven almost entirely by inertial, gravitational and centripetal forces. Amusement parks keep building faster and more complex roller coasters, but the fundamental principles at work remain the same.
The result and the final decision court will depend on the laws of that state. While a majority of states has chosen to institute a rule where they hold amusement ride operators and owners to the standard of ordinary care in operating their rides, a growing minority of states, including Illinois, hold those same operators to the duty of utmost care. The importance of a consistent standard for roller coasters is imperative to raising the expectation of safety, thereby preventing many of the accidents that occur every
“Even though roller coasters propel you through the air, shoot you through tunnels, and zip you down and around many hills and loops, they are quite safe and can prove to be a great way to get scared, feel that sinking feeling in your stomach, and still come out of it wanting to do it all over again (1).” Thanks to the manipulation of gravitational and centripetal forces humans have created one of the most exhilarating attractions. Even though new roller coasters are created continuously in the hope to create breathtaking and terrifying thrills, the fundamental principles of physics remain the same. A roller coaster consists of connected cars that move on tracks due to gravity and momentum. Believe it or not, an engine is not required for most of the ride. The only power source needed is used to get to the top first hill in order to obtain a powerful launch. Physics plays a huge part in the function of roller coasters. Gravity, potential and kinetic energy, centripetal forces, conservation of energy, friction, and acceleration are some of the concepts included.
Roller coasters come in all sizes and configurations. Roller coasters are designed to be intense machines that get the riders’ adrenaline pumping. Ever since my first roller coaster ride, I knew I was hooked. I cannot get enough of the thrilling sensation caused by these works of engineering. When people board these rides, they put their faith in the engineers who designed the rides and the people who maintain and operate the rides. In this paper, I will bring to your attention a specific instance when the operation of one of these coasters came into question and led to a very tragic incident. From this, I will look into the events leading up to the incident and evaluate the decisions made by the people involved.
There is an immense amount of rides in Walt Disney World. Some of the most famous rides are The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, and the Rock 'n' Rollercoaster starring Aerosmith. Also known as The Tower of Terror, this incredibly detailed attraction takes people very high up so they can see out the window for just a second, until it drops them to what seems like their doom. This is done repeatedly, until the ride comes to stop. Another thrilling ride is Space Mountain. On this mostly pitch black journey, riders are pulled into action in ups and downs. Another exhilarating
Roller skating is said to have been born during the summer months when ice was not available. The first documented inventor of roller skates was John Joseph Merlin who was born September 17, 1735, in the city of Huys, Belgium. Merlin was well known for his abilities for making musical instruments and other interesting mechanical gadgets. Through various incarnations, roller skates strove to replicate the streamlined speed and maneuverability of ice skates, but without ball bearings or shock-absorbent wheels it would take 200 years before that dream was achieved. Even as late as 1960, the Chicago Skate Company attempted to market an inline skate that looked much like today's skate, but it did not offer sufficient comfort, stability or a reliable brake (Zaidman 1). Although the Chicago Skate Company’s attempt of the inline skate was not successful, it did play a pivotal role in the molding of what is now known as inline skating.
Wen, Hui Ying. Thesis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. MIT OpenCourseWare. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Not far from the opening gate, I glanced at the first ride I was going to experience, the Cork Screw. The whole entire family was going to ride on the rollercoaster, even my sister Alissa who is terrified of coasters. As I walked up the narrow path that led to the Cork Screw, I could see that there was a large number of people waiting to get onto the ride. While waiting patiently to board the coaster, I gazed up in awe at the Cork Screw, one of the newer roller coasters, which sparkled high above our heads. Twirling hoops and loops were the main attraction of this roller coaster.
Then finally, Elisha Graves Otis, the inventor of the safety elevator came along. Otis was an American industrialist who was especially popular in the city. He was having difficulties moving loads on platforms in high conditions, so he built a power elevator made of 2 freight hoists. His design would stop the moving box if the rope were to break. Otis went even as far to prove that his invention worked.
I have always been fascinated by carnival rides. It amazes me that average, ordinary people eagerly trade in the serenity of the ground for the chance to be tossed through the air like vegetables in a food processor. It amazes me that at some time in history someone thought that people would enjoy this, and that person invented what must have been the first of these terrifying machines. For me, it is precisely the thrill and excitement of having survived the ride that keeps me coming back for more.
Amusement parks are by far one of the most thrilling places on earth. As you wait in a long line to get in park, you can hear numerous kids, adults, and tourist shouting off the top of their lungs due to a tremendous jaw-dropping drop on their beloved roller coasters.