Analyzing Amusement Park GraphsAnalyzing Amusement Park Graphs

California’s Great America 2012California’s Great America 2012

Clarence BakkenClarence Bakken

Teacher Steering CommitteeTeacher Steering Committee

Goals of this ActivityGoals of this Activity

• Help students understand graphs they obtain Help students understand graphs they obtain via electronic data collectionvia electronic data collection

• Help teachers assist students in Help teachers assist students in understanding their dataunderstanding their data

• Attain greater understanding of graphical Attain greater understanding of graphical informationinformation

The Ride: VortexThe Ride: Vortex

Complete Set of GraphsComplete Set of Graphs

Complete Set Complete Set SmoothedSmoothed

Altitude vs. Time

Ride ProfileRide Profile

Corkscrew

Lift

hill

Loop

Vertical Acceleration/ForcesA

ltit

ude

(m)

Ver

tica

l (m

/s/s

)

Vertical ForcesVertical Forces

Bottom of Hill(Start of loop)

Dip at end of initial section

Corkscrew

Alt

itud

e (m

)L

ater

al (

m/s

/s)

Lateral ForcesLateral Forces

Left turn at end of run-on

Corkscrew

Left turn thru corkscrew

Left turn top of lift hill

Right turnbefore corkscrew

Lateral Acceleration/Forces

Longitudinal Acceleration/Forces

Longitudinal ForcesLongitudinal Forces

Lift Hill

Held back -Pitching forward…

Pushed forward -“Falling” backward

The Ride: OrbitThe Ride: Orbit

Vertical & Longitudinal

Ver

tica

l (m

/s/s

)L

ongi

tudi

nal (

m/s

/s)

Vertical and LongitudinalVertical and LongitudinalMaximum Longitudinal Force - mid-level Vertical Force

Maximum Vertical Force –zero Longitudinal Force

Vertical Acceleration/Force

Vertical ForcesVertical Forces

44.9 sec / 11 periods = 4.1 sec/period

~2g’s

~1.8 g’s

Longitudinal Longitudinal AccelerationAcceleration

+ 1g

- 1g

Longitudinal Acceleration/Force

The Ride: CentrifugeThe Ride: Centrifuge

Complete Set of GraphsComplete Set of Graphs

Lateral Forces

Longitudinal Forces

Lateral Acceleration/Force

Lateral ForcesLateral Forces

30 periods = 33 sec

T = 1.1 sec

Midpoint = 10 m/s/s = 1 g

The Ride: Drop TowerThe Ride: Drop Tower

Ride Profile & Vertical Force

Alt

itud

e (m

)V

erti

cal (

m/s

/s)

Complete Set of GraphsComplete Set of Graphs

Parabolic

3 sec

Vertical ForceVertical Force

Coupling change

Exponential decay

3 sec

ConclusionConclusion

• Need to know direction of accelerometer(s)Need to know direction of accelerometer(s)

• Relate to orientation of riderRelate to orientation of rider

• Relate to location on the rideRelate to location on the ride

• Give students opportunity to scour over data, Give students opportunity to scour over data, too!too!

• Smooth the data for easier analysisSmooth the data for easier analysis

Have a great time Have a great time at Great America!at Great America!