There have been a couple of recent post asking for help on school projects that deal with rollercoasters. (This must be due to the near end of the school year, and exams and such are taking up many people's time) I was wondering how many buzzers have done something for school that was amusement park related. Also, what grade are you in?
I am a freshmen in college. I did a rollercoaster safety report for my college writing class, and I got an A on it. I just finished my computer science project too. I wrote a program that was a database of all Six Flags parks and properties. It had lots of features and I will continue to update it since I wrote it for this class!
So, what about you?
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So...you can't handle a rollercoaster huh? Well...you ARE the Weakest Link! Goodbye!
Number 1 Batwing Fan!
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mmm, roller coaster
(Homer Simpson)
I just finished my freshman year in college.
When I was a freshman in high school I remember doing a report on roller coasters for my physics class. I made a poster with pictures of all sorts of different coasters on both sides including Wild Thing, Kumba, Batman, Magnum XL-200, and many others that were huge back in that time (late '97/early '98). I also made an overhead sheet with a few examples from roller coasters and their advertised top speeds and first drop length and what the acceleration from gravity would be due to those numbers through calculations. I then spoke of why the numbers were slightly off from what the actual acceleration from gravity is (9.8 meters per second squared, 32 feet per second squared) like friction and lift hill speed and why on some over the acceleration speed would have a faster life and less friction (or the stats would be slightly off) and the ones under would have more friction (possibly more drop length as well) and/or a slower lift hill speed (again, or the stats would be slightly off). All in all I had a report that lasted a triumphant 40 minutes, and for a freshman in high school, I don't think that's all that bad.
When I was a junior in high school I went to physics day at SFGAm (by this time I was in physics 2). It was a pretty good time. There were a few measurements and calculations that we had to make, but it really wasn't as much as it looked like before we actually did it. I remember getting the packet and thinking that there was no way possible that we could get everything done in it, but it was actually quite easy. I had a great time there with a few friends. The lines were mediocre length since it was only physics students, but they were from high schools all over the Chicago area. Also, when we'd talk to people in lines, almost all of them would know who our physics teacher was when we tried to describe him (man in 50's, pony tail, big belt buckle, tight pants, possibly on drugs). That would have to rank as the best one day field trip I've ever been on.
Those field trips that were more than one day would also have to be talked about, but just shortly. I was on the drumline at my high school, and for that, the entire marching band and the drumline (we never considered ourselves to be a part of the band) would get a trip to Disneyworld 3 out of the 4 years I was there. Those trips would last 4-5 days and were tons of fun. We also got to march in a parade there, the first time it was in '97 in the electrolight parade, the second time (my sophomore year in '98) it was the parade in the middle of the day, and my third time (my senior year in '00) it was a mid day parade as well. Those would be the best field trips I've ever been on period.
*** This post was edited by Pantera Psycho on 5/8/2002. ***
Im a southmore and Im in a communication class and telling these topics:
History
new and amzing roller coasters(x, hypersonic xl, xcelerator)
No limits(roller coaster simulation)
*** This post was edited by WILLDOG on 5/8/2002. ***
Physics Day at SFGAm in 1995. I remember my teacher handing us the packet of stuff we had to do and say "I know you're not going to do this stuff, but at least carry it around and make it look like you're doing something."
That's my kind of class.
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"Getting on Iron Wolf is kind of like going in a blender and pressing PUREE"
My senior year in High School I was in Marine Biology and had to do a science project. So of all things I based mine on centrifigal force and g's. The project did not have to be Biology based, rather just science based. I figured since my teacher was not well versed in Physics, this would be my best shot at a higher mark. Typically I did not do well on past science projects.
The hypothesis was:
"How does centrifigal force affect the gravitational pull on a moving object...or in other words, what makes you stay in your seat on a roller coaster loop?"
Basically I didn't want to do the project and just made up a ridiculous question, of which I already knew the answer, that would keep me somewhat entertained when I did the presentation.
Lo and behold....I got an A+... and the science department head wanted me to go to the regional science fair and be judged. But the truth was I put absolutely little time into it. So I made up some excuse and got out of it....thank goodness! I could not imagine what would have happened had I been quizzed by some physics professor.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
Shaggy - I did the same thing in HS! I had to do a science fair project, so I chose roller coasters. The kind folks at BGT let me come and gather data for free (and let me skip the lines and reride as much as I wanted in whatever row), and then I made up the rest! I got to go to the county fair. HEy, any reason to get out of school for the day was good enough for me! I just made things up and BS'd to the judges. I didn't place or anything, but I didn't care either.
I also did a history report in 8th grade on roller coasters. The main source of info wa Robert Cartmell's book, which I think is now out of print. It was a good paper (for an 8th grader) and I got an A.
I also had to do an impromptu speach on any topic in a class last summer for college. I chose roler coasters and just babbled for 5 mins. That was easy.
dankding said:I also had to do an impromptu speach on any topic in a class last summer for college. I chose roler coasters and just babbled for 5 mins. That was easy.
It's funny cause majority of the time the people in your class are the GP, so if in fact you do say something wrong, they are not going to catch it, and anything you say, they will normally believe you or just not be listening at all because you are half the time already labled as "that coaster geek." (But i prefer the term "Enthusiast")
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So...you can't handle a rollercoaster huh? Well...you ARE the Weakest Link! Goodbye!
Number 1 Batwing Fan!
I'm in eighth grade and did a report on rollercoasters!!
My grade a "B";)
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:)KENNYWOOD:)
I took TWO years of physics (I failed the first time) and I wish that I was into rollercoasters then. I can't even remember what I did my final report on.
I did tell my little brother, however, that if he has to do a final paper in a couple years (he's a freshman) that I'll gladly help him if the topic is rollercoasters or the physics of a rollercoaster. He was quite happy to hear that knowing that I just babble about that kind of stuff all day long.
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AIM: Pritti Kittie
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"enough is enough"-?
In Physics we had to make a rollercoaster! The object was to drop a ball bearing down a track and get it to complete the course with a minimum of one inversion (upside down thingy it was called). We got an A+ because most of the other groups just used tubing and drooped the ball down that while I made my group make actual coaster track.
We took 3 pieces of thick wire and glued them together with braces so it looked much like Arrow/Vekoma Track. The ball would then roll in between the rails and the spine. We got it to drop and go through 2 loops but that took most of our time so we had to finish it of quickly with a helix.
*** This post was edited by Joe E. on 5/9/2002. ***
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