Marble Rollercoasters

Nov 3

Marble rollercoasters are a great physics project for any science kid, all you need is lot’s of room to explore and create.

Difficulty Level: 2nd grade & up

Supply List:

cardboard tubes (from paper towels or toilet paper)
foam insulation pipe (optional)
marbles
table, chairs, books, etc. (to make your rollercoaster hills)
tape and scissors
paper + pencil for planning & drawing

The goal of building marble rollercoasters is to learn about gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has stored because of its mass and its height off the ground. Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because of its mass and its velocity.

When a roller-coaster car reaches the very top of its first big hill it has a lot of potential energy because it is very high off the ground. It moves over the top of the hill very slowly, so it has almost no kinetic energy. Then it drops down the other side of the hill and starts going very fast as its height rapidly decreases. The potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. This process repeats as the car goes through hills, loops, twists and turns. Whenever it goes up it gains more potential energy with height but loses kinetic energy as it slows down. Energy is never created or destroyed—it just converts from one form to another. This principle is known as conservation of energy.

We know from experience, however, that a roller coaster doesn't keep going forever. Eventually it slows down because of friction (a combination of air resistance and contact with the track). If energy isn't created or destroyed, where does that energy go? It is converted into heat. This is why you can rub your hands together to warm them up—friction converts energy from your moving hands into heat! (source: Scientific American)

Instructions:

Using your science notebook, plan out your rollercoaster. Make sure to include an initial first big hill, and even experiment with loops and turns! Then take your materials and build your rollercoaster! Once complete, use the marbles as your "rollercoaster riders” and see if they make it to the end. If the marble fails to complete the course, head back to the drawing board to make any necessary adjustments.