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Physics Day at Luna Park - Background Information for teachers
Description of the rides. The Physics of Luna Park rides.
Lunch If students bring their lunch with them they can avoid queueing at the stalls and possibly missing a ride. There are gentler rides scheduled throughout the day. Students should consider this when planning lunch. Note: There are no drinking taps at Luna Park, students should bring a water bottle on hot days.
Pre-Excursion Activities
1. Show video of the rides.
2. On the bus (train) ask the students to close their eyes to concentrate on what their other senses tell them about how they are moving. Other Q'ns: Wil the bus be easier to stop when it is full or when it is empty? Why do you think the steering wheel in a bus is larger than the steering wheel in a car? Banked curves support roller coasters on a bend, look for banked curves on the way to Luna Park, what would happen if you went too fast around a banked curve?, Why is speeding around a curve dangerous on a rainy day?
Science Equipment
Amusement Park Physics Kit. (Pasco) a set of 15 vertical and horizontal accelerometers that can be taken on rides. The vertical accelerometer consists of a light spring with a small lead weight attached and housed in a clear plastic tube, which has markings for 0g, 1g and 2g. A wrist strap can be attached. The horizontal accelerometer consist of a piece of cardboard with a protractor drawn on it, a curved cutout along the protractor and a clear plastic tube with 3 rolling steel balls in it placed in the cutout. A drinking straw attached to the top allows the device to be used to measure altitude. Both of these are simple to make within the school.
A set of questions for students to reflect on the physics aspects of their experiences.
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