Interactive

Roller Coaster

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Roller coasters rely on both kinetic and potential energy, but how much total energy does a roller coaster need? Scholars vary the mass of a coaster and the height of the initial hill. Graphs showing the types of energy and total energy appear as the simulation plays.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Challenge pupils to build their own roller coasters with LEGO® or K'NEX® or another building system with a small motor
Classroom Considerations
  • Requires a free CK-12 account to access the interactive
  • Assumes prior knowledge of mass, energy, and how to interpret graphs
Pros
  • Information buttons on the variables and the graphs go into more detail about the science concepts
  • Provides answers to some of the worksheet questions
Cons
  • None