Task: To understand how a gravity-driven coaster operates based on work and energy.

Concepts: Observation, Mathematical Skills, & Core Concepts.

Materials: Paper, Pencil, Calculator.

Directions/Activities:

1. Calculate the work done on you when you were pulled up the 303-foot diagonal incline loading area.

2. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom claims a maximum speed of 63 m.p.h. and a vertical height of 154 feet. Is this claim valid? Explain.

3. On Chang, riders plummet from the highest of 154 feet into a 121.6 foot vertical loop. Explain the energy transfer during this part of the ride (hill to low point to top of loop).

4. Set up an equation which compares initial energy at the hilltop to the energy at the loop. How does these calculated eergy values compare? Explain the differences.

Extension/Enrichments

5. Chang has 415 feet of track. The cost of the ride was $12 million. What was the cost for this ride.