Project Competition Information 2008

Live on Site

Roller Coaster Ride

There should be only one team of three students per school.  If a student is on the project team, he/she may not take part in the math competition or science competition as the project competition will take place during the other competitions.

This year, the student project team will have one hour to design a working roller coaster using a ball bearing and pipe insulation.  The following tools and equipment will also be provided for each team:

Styrofoam
Pipe Insulation
Thick Dowels
Thin Dowels
Screws
Rubber bands of various sizes
Duct tape
Packaging tape
Tape Measure
Pen/pencil
Stop watch
Ball Bearing

The following handout is a must for all project teams to look at and think about before they come on Thursday:

Roller Coaster Ride
Roller Coaster Sketch and Calculations

Links to roller coaster sites:

A roller coaster project
Some physics about total work done by friction
Force Frenzy: Roller Coasters
Thrill, Chills and Spills
Roller Coaster Project (look at the links at the bottom)
Roller Coaster Project
Roller Coaster Project

As the time of the competition draws closer, check this website for procedures, rules and points.

Click here for an example video of a roller coaster (uses Windows Media Player).

For any questions you may have concerning the competition, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Dueck.

Patricia Dueck
Mathematics Faculty
Scottsdale Community College
480-423-6594
patricia.dueck@sccmail.maricopa.edu