Design Engineer

DESIGN ENGINEER
ROLE DESCRIPTION � 

The design engineer studies the principles of roller coasters to plan and 
construct an artistic or architectural physical design.


Your task - 
Visit the links below.  Record your responses to each task.  Read to 
find details to complete the following:



1.  
Click here
 and  here
 for information on wooden and steel coasters.  Use Inspiration or 
Microsoft Word to complete a Venn diagram or chart comparing the wooden 
coaster and the tubular steel coaster.  Use details from your reading to 
explain why more tubular steel coasters are being built at amusement 
parks.


2.   
Go to the �How 
Does�� link.  Once there, click on the �Design a 
Roller Coaster� yellow arrow.  Proceed with all steps for your design.  
Next, complete the following:

 A.  Why is the height and shape of the first hill important?

 B.  �Exit paths� are paths out of a hill or loop.  What should be 
considered when designing exit paths?  Why?

 C.  The second hill should help maintain the thrill.  How should 
this hill be designed compared to the first hill?  Why?

 D.  Why is the �teardrop�, elliptical loop, a much better design for 
roller coasters than the �circle� loop design?  Use the 
�How Does..� ,  �What Goes Up...� , 
Roller-Coasters" link, and 
�Feeling Loopy�
 links for help.

  
3.  
Imagine that you and a group of passengers are testing out a newly 
constructed roller coaster.  The slide down the first hill is thrilling, but 
before you get to the top of the second hill, you start sliding backward and 
get trapped between the first two hills.  Using what you know about Newton�s 
First Law of Motion, describe what the designer forgot to include in 
transforming his creation from his plan on paper to the real world.

  
4.    
Click the link here 
to test a practice coaster design using a tool to put the science of 
coasters to work.  Click here
 to cut and paste coaster elements such as batwings, camel 
backs, tunnels, and corkscrews to design a thrilling ride.  Think about the 
design elements your team should consider for your roller coaster.  Would 
your team be interested in a "hypercoaster"?  Click here to 
view a Time.com photo essay of "hypercoasters".  Find anything interesting?



5.  
Click here to read details on a comparison chart of coasters.  
The information on the chart came from the world's top ten fastest coasters, 
as of 2004, at the 
"Roller Coaster Database" Website.  Click the database hyperlink on the 
chart to record details for 2-3 more coasters.  Scroll down to the 2nd page 
of the chart to record the details.
Compare the design you want for your team's coaster to those on the chart.  
Record the reasons why.  


6.   
Be ready to present and explain your findings to your team.  You and your 
team will use this information for the design of your ultimate scream 
machine.


LINKS


Wooden or Steel Coaster?  Does It Make A Difference?

           
What Goes Up Must Come Down


How Does A Roller Coaster Work?


Wooden and Steel

 
�Feeling Loopy�


"Roller-Coasters"


Practice Your Coaster Design


Coaster Inversion Elements

"Hypercoasters" - Time.com Photo Essay



Tech Effect
Rashida Betts, Literacy Coach
G. James Gholson Middle School
900 Nalley Rd.
Landover, MD  20785
To contact me:
Phone: 301-883-8390
Fax: 301-883-8394
E-mail: rashida.betts@pgcps.org

<b><arial>Coaster Design Connections<b>

Check out this "kids.discovery.com" interactive coaster design 
tool.  Use it to create a coaster with batwings, tunnels, camel backs, and 
corkscrews.
http://kids.discovery.com/games/rollercoasters/buildacoaster.html