Activity: Feeling the acceleration of The Crazy Galleon
Electronic Data Collection
7. Record your vertical accelerometer readings in the largest oscillation:
In the middle
a. At rest. _____10_ ms-2__
b. Moving through the lowest point. __19.3 ms-2
c. At the highest point. ________4.7 ms-2________
At the End
d. At rest. _____10_ ms-2__
e. Moving through the lowest point. __21.5 ms-2
f. At the highest point. ________3.1 ms-2________
8. Determine the period of oscillation:
a. for small oscillations for first two oscillation.
b. for large oscillations.
Period = 7.8 s
Period=
7.5s
Is the period affected by the amplitude of the oscillation? Does this approximate the behavior of a
pendulum? Please support your answer.
The period is not affected by the amplitude. This approximate the behavior of a pendulum
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Activity: Motion of the 'Dragon'
Suggested Answer
Q1
Vertical
Acceleration/
ms-2
Longitudinal
Acceleration
/ms-2
Relative Speed
*
Your feeling of
your weight*
A
26.6
-3.7
Largest with
decreasing
Heavier
B
10
-3.4
Medium with
decreasing
Normal
C
1.8
-7.2
Smallest with
increasing
Lighter
D
12.8
-3.1
Medium with
increasing
Normal
E
20.3
-3.4
Largest with
increasing
Heavier
Activity: Feeling the acceleration of Abyss
Turbo Drop
(Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Copyright © 2003 Education and Manpower Bureau, HKSAR
Supported by Ocean Park Hong Kong)
Typical Results
Stage of Motion
Feeling
being pulled downwards /
weightless / normal / gain
weight / lose weight
Interpretation of Motion
accelerating / decelerating /
moving at a constant velocity
acceleration greater than /
equals / less than g
Instantly after take off being pulled downwards
accelerating downwards
acceleration is greater than g
A second after take almost weightless
off
accelerating downwards
acceleration almost equals g
Shortly before
reaching the bottom
of the tower
decelerating
gain weight
2
Typical Results
Velocity of initial rise = 2.2 ms-1
3
Average acceleration = 2  (-3.882) ms-2 = -7.8 ms-2 (downwards)
Remarks:
In fact, the acceleration of the ride keeps changing when it is thrust downwards. The downward
acceleration is controlled by the difference in the tension of the upper and lower cables
connecting the passenger platform and could be greater than g. The downward motion is not a
free fall under gravity with a constant acceleration. One can see the change in acceleration in
details by fitting the data with a cubic curve as below:
It reveals that the acceleration is decreasing in magnitude. One can see the change in
acceleration more readily by taking the ride with an acceleration sensor and a datalogger (see the
previous activity). When the platform is approaching the bottom of the tower, the acceleration
becomes positive and the platform comes to a stop instantaneously.
For the Last Paper Loop the loop
For maximum Height of the start is 0.6m , the diameter d of first vertical loop must be
smaller than ____0.48________ m
For height of the second hill, h2, should _about__0.48______ and the radius of curvature r
of the curve of the top of the hill should be _____large______. Otherwise , cart may leave
the runway.
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Activity: Merry-go-round
Ground Measurements
Determine the angular speed
of the merry-go-round.
2. Total time for 5 revolutions in seconds:80econd
4. Calculate the angular speed : _____________________________
Merry-go-rounds
Ride Measurements
1. There is a “lean” of the benches and on the poles that
support the animals. When the ride is stationary, use your
altitude tracker to determine the angle that an animal in the
outer row makes with the vertical. While holding the tracker
vertically, place it against the animal’s support pole, reading
the angle between the washer and the zero mark on the tracker.
Angle =________8___________________
2. Measure the angle that an animal in the inner row makes
with the vertical. Angle =____3______
4. Do the same measurements on the very same animals while the ride is in motion.
Inner angle:_____0______
Outer angle:___0____________
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