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KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
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THE THRILL SEEKER’S GUIDE TO EDUCATION
If you’ve been searching for the fastest, the biggest, and the most enlightening
educational experience around, your quest is over!
Kentucky Kingdom provides a unique outdoor environment
for multidisciplinary educational programs.
“Educational?” you ask. How can a theme park replace the classroom?
As you loop through the air on T3 or gallop around on the Bella Musica Carousel,
you should start to see the patterns.
Whether in park operations, the color schemes used,
the selection of rides, the location of walkways, and in so many other areas,
specific patterns have been developed and used.
You and your students will be experiencing those patterns but now,
fasten your seatbelt and get ready for an exhilarating “ride” through
Kentucky Kingdom.
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
To the Teacher - Using the Workbook
To The Students - Using the Workbook
Speaking the Language of Physics
Ride Specifications
Formulas
Fun Stuff
4
5
6
7
8
9-11
High School Projects
Thunder Run
The Giant Wheel
The Enterprise
Bumper Cars
Bumper Cars Probability
Breakdance
Tin Lizzies
The Roller Skater Coaster
Bella Musica Carousel
Mile High Falls
Polygons Everywhere You Look
Polygons Worksheets
Which Angles Do You See?
Which Ride Is The Most Popular?
Likes and Dislikes
Ride Results Worksheet
Parallel, Perpendicular, or Intersecting?
Sketch Your Rides Worksheet
What Is the Cost?
What Is the Cost? Worksheet
Class Cost at Kentucky Kingdom
Up, Down, or Straight Ahead?
Up, Down, or Straight Worksheet
Bella Musica Carousel #2
The Flying Dutchman
T3 – Terror to the Third Power
FearFall
Bus Ride
5-D Cinema #2
Energized! The Energy Challenge
Energized! Worksheet
13-14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25-26
27-28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
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TO THE TEACHER
USING THIS WORKBOOK
We are happy to provide you with a guide to
interesting experiments and projects to enhance
your “Education in Motion” trip to Kentucky
Kingdom. Use as many as you deem suitable for
your students and of course, feel free to alter them
to fit your students’ needs.
A. The intent of this workbook is to show students
that learning about science & math at a theme
park adds an extra dimension - going on rides
becomes more interesting and exciting!
B. You may want to do a sample page from the
workbook in class, using made-up data, a day
or so before your field trip. Students will have
a chance to get familiar with the workbook and
get a sense of how to use the pages most
efficiently.
C. Choose a series of concepts and a minimum
number (3 or 4) of rides you would like
students to investigate. Since the time spent
standing in line is directly proportional to the
popularity of a ride, suggest to your students
that they plan to use less dramatic rides for a
good portion of their required work.
D. Assign students to lab groups of six to ten and
request that each group be able to account for
its members at all times. In a larger group like
this, no one will feel pressured to ride, anyone
wanting to ride will likely have a partner to ride
with, and non-riders will be able to ask the
others how they liked the ride. You’ll also need
less equipment.
E. You may want to give your students the option
to choose a ride that’s not covered in the
workbook and to show how that ride could be
used to illustrate physics concepts.
F. When checking your students’ answers,
remember that all entries are based on actual
student measurements and observations.
Human reaction times vary and ride speeds
depend to some extent on the ambient
temperature and time of day.
G. Many teachers have found it useful to request
that their students turn in the workbook at the
end of the day. This ensures that enough
calculations are done at the park for the
students to connect those calculated results
with the rides they have just experienced.
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TO THE STUDENTS
USING THIS WORKBOOK
GETTING READY!
Before your visit to Kentucky Kingdom, you may
need to collect materials and equipment and bring
them with you to the park. Some of the activities
require that lab or vocabulary work be done at
school before you come to the park. Completing
these tasks before your trip will allow you to make
better use of your time at Kentucky Kingdom and
should add to your enjoyment of the day.
REMEMBER:
1. You are going to Kentucky Kingdom to
demonstrate your understanding of math,
physics, and science by gathering data and
applying basic concepts to different rides
and situations.
2. You will need to record the data you collect.
You are expected to explain your answers.
If you feel a question may have more than
one meaning, state your interpretation of the
question and then answer it.
3. You are expected to obey all park rules and
any directions given by the park’s staff. Do
not endanger your safety or that of others.
4. Objects dropped from rides can hurt people.
You are not allowed to bring loose objects,
such as sunglasses, cell phones, cameras,
etc., on the rides.
5. It is not required that you ride any of the
rides. Yet we hope you will want to get some
first-hand experience by riding at least some
of them!
6. It’s a good idea to plan ahead! Review the
list of any equipment or supplies you will
need to bring with you to the park.
Determine the data to be collected before
going on the ride, write down the information
you gather, and don’t lose it!
7. Your teacher will give you your admission
ticket. We recommend that everyone in
your group gather at a specific place
(suggest the fountain at the entrance)
before leaving the park. Great opportunity to
take a class photo!
8. Check with your teacher about lunch
arrangements.
9. Make
sure
you
understand
the
arrangements for returning home before you
get off your bus to enter the park. Make sure
you can recognize your bus!
EQUIPMENT YOU MAY NEED TO
BRING TO THE PARK:







Calculator.
Stopwatch. There are many inexpensive
ones available and often students have a
watch with a stopwatch mode. Accuracy to
one-tenth of a second is sufficient.
Horizontal/vertical accelerometers
(optional).
Pens and pencils.
Colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
Yardstick or measuring tape.
Paper (plain, graph, and/or drawing).
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SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF
PHYSICS
To name and describe your observations, you
must be able to speak the language of physics.
Try to use each of these words at least twice while
riding or watching the rides.
Acceleration - How fast speed and/or direction change.
Action Force - One of the pair of forces described in Newton’s
third law.
Air Resistance - Force of air pushing against a moving object.
Apparent Weightlessness - The feeling of weightlessness
that one has when falling toward the earth. (True
weightlessness, however, requires that an object be far out in
space, where gravitational forces are negligible.)
Centripetal Force - A push or pull that makes an object move
in a curved path. Its direction is toward the center of the object’s
curved path.
Elapsed Time - The time that has passed, or elapsed, since
the beginning of the time measurement.
Elastic Collision - A collision in which colliding objects
rebound without lasting deformation or the generation of heat.
Energy - The property of an object or system that enables it to
do work; measured in joules.
Equilibrium - A state of balance between opposing forces or
effects.
Force - Any sort of push or pull.
Free Fall - Motion under the influence of the gravitational force
only.
Friction - A force from surrounding material that pushes or
pulls on objects when you try to move them. Friction causes
roller coasters to slow down. Friction usually results from the
rubbing of one surface against another and produces heat as
a result. Air resistance is one kind of friction.
Gravitational Potential Energy - The amount of energy of an
object in a position above the surface of the earth. The higher
an object is, the greater the gravitational potential energy it has
relative to the earth’s surface.
G-Force - One inglr equals the gravitational pull at the surface
of the earth. A g-force of 2 g’s means a force acting on an
object that is equal to two times the object’s weight.
(Acceleration of gravity - 9.8 m/s 2 (-10 m/s 2) or (-32 f/s 2).
Inertia - The tendency of matter to remain at rest or move at a
constant speed in a straight line.
Jerk - Rate of change of acceleration, named because you
notice this as a feeling of being jerked in the direction of the
change.
Kinetic Energy - The energy of motion. The faster you go, the
more kinetic energy you have. An object cannot speed up
unless it gets energy from something that pushes or pulls it
through some distance. Roller coasters get kinetic energy from
gravitational potential energy.
A moving object cannot slow down unless its kinetic energy is
changed into some other kind of energy. In roller coasters,
kinetic energy changes into gravitational potential energy and
into heat. The total of the kinetic energy and gravitational
potential energy in a coaster tends to remain the same. Brakes
change kinetic energy into heat.
Law of Conservation of Energy - The statement that energy
cannot be created or destroyed; it may be transformed from
one form to another, but the total amount of energy never
changes.
Mass - A kind of moving inertia that tends to keep moving
objects going in the same direction. Momentum is the mass of
a body multiplied by its velocity. Momentum (mass x velocity)
tends to remain the same.
Momentum - The product of the mass and the velocity of an
object. Has direction as well as size.
Parabola - The shape of the curved path of a ball as it is tossed
from one person to another. Roller coaster hills have this
shape.
Potential Energy - Energy that is stored and held in readiness
by an object by virtue of its position. With its energy in this
stored state, it has the potential for doing work.
Power - The rate at which work is done, which equals the
amount of work done divided by the amount of time during
which the work is done. This is measured in watts.
Reaction Force - The force that is equal in strength and
opposite in direction to the action force and that acts on
whatever is exerting the action force.
Revolutions - Motion in which an object turns about an axis
outside the object.
Rotation - The spinning motion that occurs when an object
moves about an axis that is located within the object.
Rotational Speed - The number of rotations or revolutions per
unit of time, often measured per second or minute.
Rotational Velocity - Rotational speed, together with a
direction of rotation or revolution.
Speed - How fast something is moving (i.e., the distance
moved per unit of time).
Velocity - The speed of an object in a particular direction.
Weight - The force on a body of matter due to the gravitational
attraction of another body. (That other body is often the earth.)
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
RIDE SPECIFICATIONS
LIGHTNING RUN
Opening Date: May 17, 2014
Height: 100 feet
Length:
Top Speed: 55 mph
Designer/Manufacturer: Chance Rides
Ride Height Requirement: 48 inches
Ride Capacity: 2 trains, 20 passengers per train
FEARFALL
Opening Date: May 17, 2014
Tower Height: 131 feet
Lift Speed: 0.7 mph (upward)
Drop Speed: 47 mph (downward)
Designer/Manufacturer: A.R.M. Inc.
Ride Height Requirement: 48 inches
Ride Capacity: 12 passengers
BELLA MUSICA CAROUSEL
Opening Date: Spring, 1994
Height: 30 feet
Diameter: 52 feet, 6 inches
Designer/Manufacturer: WBW Group
Ride Height Requirement; 36 inches to ride alone; those
under 36 inches must be accompanied by a rider at least
36 inches tall
Ride Capacity: 66 seats
MILE HIGH FALLS
Opening Date: Spring, 1994
Height: 85 feet
Trough Length: Approximately 880 feet
Top Speed: 48 mph
Designer/Manufacturer: O.D. Hopkins
Ride Height Requirement: 42 inches to ride alone; those
between 36 and 42 inches must be accompanied by a
rider at least 42 inches tall
Ride Capacity: 2 boats, 20 passengers per boat
THUNDER RUN
Opening Date: August, 1990
Height: 89 feet
Length: 2,850 feet
Top Speed: 53 mph
Designer/Manufacturer: Curtis D. Summers/Dinn Corp.
Ride Height Requirement: 48 inches
Ride Capacity; 1 train, 20 passengers per train
ROLLER SKATER
Opening Date: Spring, 1994
Height: 28 feet
Length: 679 feet
Designer/Manufacturer: Vekoma International
Ride Height Requirement: 56 inches to ride alone; those
between 36 and 56 inches must be accompanied by a
rider at least 56 inches tall
Ride Capacity: 8 cars, 2 people per car
T3
Opening Date: April, 2015
Height: 98 feet
Length: 2,170 feet
Top Speed: 60+ mph
Designer/Manufacturer: Vekoma International
Ride Height Requirement: 52 inches
Ride Capacity: 2 trains, 14 passengers per train
ENTERPRISE
Opening Date: April, 2015
Height: 40 feet
Ride Speed: 12 rpm
Designer/Manufacturer: HUSS Maschinenfabrik
Ride Height Requirement: 54 inches
Ride Capacity: 20 gondolas, 2 passengers per gondola
CYCLOS
Opening Date: April, 2015
Height: 60 feet
Rotation Speed: 12 rpm
Manufacturer: Zamperla
Number of Seats: 16
Ride Capacity: 16
Ride Height Requirement: 42 inches
SKYCATCHER
Opening Date: April, 2015
Height: 130 feet
Rotation Speed: 10 rpm
Manufacturer: A.R.M. Inc.
Number of Swings; 12, with 2 persons per swing
Ride Capacity; 24
Ride Height Requirement; 48”
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KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
FORMULAS
v =∆d/∆t av
a =∆v/∆t av
F=ma
Fw=mg
Period of a satellite = 2 x π x square root (cube of the
altitude divided by (gravitational constant x mass of body)
Escape velocity = square root (2 x gravitational constant x
mass of attracting body divided by distance to the center of
the attracting body)
Rotational inertia of a hoop around a normal radius = mass x
square of the radius
Rotational inertia of a hoop around a diameter = one half
mass x square of the radius
ac=v2/r
Gravitational constant = 6.67 E-11 N x m^2/Kg^2
Fc=mv2/r
1 m/s = 2.237 mi./hr.
T=1/f
1 kg = 2.2 lbs.
T=2π√l/g
1 m = 3.281 ft.
p=mv
1 hp = 746w
Ft = MDV
1 km = 0.6214 miles
PE=mgh
1 lb. = 4.448 N
KE=1/2mv2
1 joule = 0.738 ft. lbs.
Pressure = Force/Area
Horizontal velocity = angled velocity x cosine of angle
9.8 m/s2 = 32.2 ft./s2
% error = observed - actual x 100 actual
Vertical velocity = angled velocity x sine of angle
Force of gravity = gravitational constant x mass of
object 1 x mass of object 2 ÷ square of distance
between bodies
Power=work/time
Velocity of satellite in circular orbit = square root
(gravitational constant x mass of the attracting
body ÷ altitude from center of the body)
Measured Values: values found by your instruments
Given Values: actual values provided by Kentucky Kingdom
Calculated Values: values calculated by given & measured
values
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FUN STUFF ABOUT RIDES!
The first roller coasters were ice slides serving as wintertime amusements in Russian villages and
towns, particularly St. Petersburg, during the 15th and 16th centuries. In the late 19th century,
LaMarcus Adna Thompson became known as “The Father of the Gravity Ride.” Although he did not
invent the roller coaster, he built the Switchback Railway at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, which
opened on June 13, 1884. Mr. Thompson took a great interest in roller coasters and developed and
patented many features of the modern coaster.
ROLLER SKATER
The Roller Skater is a family roller coaster introduced at Kentucky Kingdom in 1994, the fourth coaster
to be introduced at the park over a period of only five years. Manufactured by Vekoma International
of the Netherlands, it’s a coaster that people of all ages can enjoy.
The Roller Skater has a 28-foot hill and its track is 679 feet long. Its unusual location over a small
ravine was chosen to maximize its thrill factor. Themed by Kentucky Kingdom Construction Inc., the
coaster’s bright primary colors were chosen both for their visual impact and their similarity to the colors
so often found in a child’s toy box.
THUNDER RUN
Thunder Run, with its six tons of nails, 30,000 bolts, and 250,000 board feet of track, was designed
by Curtis Summers and George Fetterman and manufactured in 1990 by the Dinn Corporation, which
also constructed Cedar Point’s “Mean Streak,” “Timber Wolf” at Worlds of Fun, and Six Flags Over
Georgia’s “Georgia Cyclone.” Thunder Run consistently ranks among the top ten wooden coasters
in nationwide polls.
LIGHTNING RUN
Ranked among the top 25 steel coasters in the world, Lightning Run begins with a breathtaking
100-foot, 80-degree drop and ends with three gravity-defying camelback hills. This ten-story
coaster thrills riders with negative airtime, an ultra-smooth ride, and nonstop twists and turns.
Lightning Run is the first steel coaster of its kind. Manufactured by Chance Rides, it is the only
Hyper GT-X coaster operating in the world.
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T3 - TERROR TO THE 3rd POWER
Kentucky Kingdom’s T3 (“Terror to the Third Power”), a suspended looping coaster designed and
manufactured by Vekoma International of the Netherlands, offers high-tech thrills. Riders are
suspended from an inverted track and make several complete 360-degree loops.
Although the concept for a suspended coaster, with the train hanging beneath the track and swinging
its riders from side to side while negotiating steep drops and sharp turns, has existed since the early
1980’s, the coaster itself was not built and introduced at a theme park until 1992. The original design
called for upside-down inversions, but this idea never made it past the design phase. The coaster’s
side-to-side swinging action made inversions infeasible because of the possibility that the train could
fall back when inverted if it negotiated a full 360-degree loop too slowly.
In 1992, a Swiss coaster design team took the concept of the suspended coaster one step further. In
the new twist they developed, the train hangs from the track and yet hugs it rigidly, enabling it to
maneuver through full 360-degree loops. T3 is the third generation of this type of ride. Rather than
the four-across seating that had been standard on this type of coaster, T 3 seats only two across,
providing more thrills for its riders, who sit in chairs similar to chair lifts, with their feet dangling.
T3 was the very first of the new generation of suspended looping coasters to debut in North America.
The ride features a 98-foot lift hill, a ten-story drop, and five full inversions along its track length of
2,170 feet. Two trains with seven coaches are able to operate simultaneously, allowing well over
1,000 guests per hour to enjoy the ride.
THE GIANT WHEEL
The 15-story Giant Wheel boasts 10,290 light bulbs. Each of its 40 gondolas carries 6 riders, or 1,050
pounds, for a total capacity of 42,000 pounds.
The Giant Wheel is, of course, an example of a Ferris wheel. When the promoters of Chicago’s 1893
World Exposition were searching for an engineering marvel to rival the Eiffel Tower, which was built
for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, George Ferris, a civil engineer and bridge builder, proposed a 264foot-tall pleasure wheel. Towering above the midway, the completed wheel had 36 gondolas, each 24
feet long, and carried up to 2,160 passengers on a ride consisting of two complete revolutions lasting
20 minutes apiece. George Ferris is the only amusement ride designer whose ride bears his name.
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FEARFALL
FearFall, manufactured by A.R.M. Inc., rises to a height of 128 feet and treats its riders to a 2.5-second,
60-foot free fall, reaching a top speed of close to 50 miles per hour.
FearFall is the second generation of the free fall ride and Kentucky Kingdom was the first park in the
world to get this prototype. Passengers sit in open-air cars, their feet dangling, and are pulled to the
top of the tower in a mere sixty seconds. Following a brief pause at the top, riders experience a
breathtaking free-falling plunge back down to ground level.
BELLA MUSICA
Kentucky Kingdom’s Bella Musica Carousel, made in Holland and designed as a celebration of the
world’s most classic carousels, is a one-of–a-kind ride. Each wooden figure on the carousel is hand
carved, a process that takes about 100 hours per figure, and the carousel horses have real horsehair
tails. The figures duplicate the designs of famous artisans from various countries, including the U.S.,
France, Germany, and Holland. All of the glass pieces on the ride are hand-cut and the floor boards
are made from the unusual Bangkirai wood. Bella Musica is 52-1/2 feet wide and 30 feet high and
weighs more than 24 tons.
SKYCATCHER
This tall and graceful ride, manufactured by A.R.M. Inc., gives riders a terrific view of Kentucky
Kingdom, Hurricane Bay, and the Louisville skyline from swings 130 feet in the air. It can carry up to
24 riders at a time.
CYCLOS
Cyclos is the ultimate summertime twist! Riders sit on a huge rotating disc attached to a swinging
pendulum. The pendulum begins with small swings back and forth, but gradually swings its riders
higher and higher, ultimately taking them through a full 360-degree loop. Manufactured by Zamperla,
this hair-raising ride towers 60 feet tall and carries 16 passengers at a time.
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HIGH SCHOOL
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THUNDER RUN
OVERVIEW
Constructed from 250,000 board feet of track, six tons of nails, and 30,000 bolts, Thunder Run has
been recognized as the most terrifying roller coaster in the world by Amusement Business magazine.
Thunder Run was built in 1990 by the famous coaster builder Charles Dinn, whose Dinn Corporation
also constructed Cedar Point’s “Mean Streak” and Worlds of Fun’s “Timber Wolf.” Anticipation
abounds as riders approach the train and turns to pure excitement as the thrilling ride progresses
through its 1,006 meters of track.
TASK
To calculate the ride’s speed and velocity at
certain points.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills Data
Core Concepts
MATERIALS
Horizontal and Vertical Accelerometer
Paper
Pencil
Calculator
Stopwatch
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. The height of the tallest hill is 82 feet. Measure the duration of the ride.
2. While observing the ride, measure the acceleration at the bottom of the tallest hill with the vertical
accelerometer.
3. Calculate the average speed of the ride.
4. Calculate the velocity at the bottom of the tallest hill, using the formula for transfer of energy.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Identify at least three sources of friction in the ride.
2. “An empty roller coaster and a full roller coaster will take the same amount of time for a single trip.”
Is this statement true or false? Defend your answer.
3. At what point on the roller coaster track should there be maximum potential energy? Minimum
kinetic energy? Maximum kinetic energy? Weightless sensation? Heavy sensation?
4. How many roller coasters are there in the world? In what part of the world are they most
concentrated?
5. List the major events in the history of the roller coaster.
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KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION 71
6. Interview riders about why they enjoyed or disliked Thunder Run and ask them to compare it with
coasters they have ridden at other parks. What are the elements that make for a good roller
coaster ride?
7. Find a person for whom Thunder Run will be the first ever roller coaster ride ever. Proceed with
this person through the queue line, asking questions about what he or she is thinking and
anticipating. Follow up with questions after the ride is over. Write a short narrative from this
person’s point of view.
8. How would you change various aspects of Thunder Run (appearance, cars, track length, height,
etc.) to make it even more exciting?
9. Make a drawing that shows one of the Thunder Run cars full of riders, with their emotions clearly
showing as they ride.
10. Show how energy is conserved on Thunder Run’s various hills, beginning with the first hill and
proceeding through every hill on the coaster.
11. List at least five effects Thunder Run would have on its riders if the first hill were ten meters higher
and no other modifications were made.
12. Notice that Thunder Run’s horizontal curves are banked. What is the reason for this?
HIGH SCHOOL
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THE GIANT WHEEL
OVERVIEW
With 21.2-meter radios, 10,270 light bulbs, and 40 gondolas, the Giant Wheel creates bigtime
excitement for up to 240 riders at a time. Each gondola weighs 1,050 pounds and passengers
weighing a total of 42,000 pounds can ride at one time. From the top of the Giant Wheel, many
Louisville landmarks are visible.
TASK
Calculation of circular motion, velocity, centripetal acceleration, and force.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Data
Thinking
Design
Observation
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
Stopwatch
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Measure the time required for the Giant Wheel to make one revolution (T-Period).
Calculate the linear velocity.
Calculate centripetal acceleration.
Calculate centripetal force (use the mass of one gondola and the people in it with you).
Calculate the rotational inertia of the Giant Wheel.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. If the Giant Wheel ran continuously for ten hours, what distance would each gondola travel?
2. Assuming each bulb is 100 watts, calculate the energy in kilowatt hours and the cost (.06¢ per
kilowatt hour) necessary to operate only the lights of the Giant Wheel for three hours.
3. Research the history of the Ferris wheel.
4. What Louisville landmarks can be seen from top of the Giant Wheel?
5. What would be the maximum potential energy of a gondola at the top of the ride?
6. Describe the view from the top of the Giant Wheel to a person at ground level.
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THE ENTERPRISE
OVERVIEW
A thrilling ride that gives a very dramatic example of centripetal force and acceleration (both vertically
and horizontally) from a wheel that is 14.8 meters in diameter.
TASK
To compare measured and calculated values of acceleration in both the horizontal and vertical planes.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Data
Observation
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Paper and Pencil
Calculator
Vertical Accelerometer
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Before riding, measure the time it takes the Enterprise to complete one horizontal revolution at
maximum speed and one vertical revolution at maximum speed.
2. While observing the ride, use the vertical accelerometer to measure the horizontal acceleration.
Also measure the vertical acceleration at the bottom, top, halfway up, and halfway down.
3. Calculate the linear velocity, both horizontally and vertically.
4. Calculate the centripetal acceleration, both horizontally and vertically.
5. Calculate the centripetal force, both horizontally and vertically.
6. Account for any differences between the measured and calculated values of acceleration in the
horizontal and vertical planes.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Explain why the cars swing out as the ride speeds up.
2. What factors (if any) could change the rotational inertia of the Enterprise?
3. Write a narrative describing your feelings from the time the Enterprise begins until you exit the
ride.
4. Where did Kentucky Kingdom purchase the Enterprise? What skills would you need to make
sound amusement ride purchases?
5. Interview a first-time rider of the Enterprise before and after the ride. List this person’s fears,
likes, and dislikes. Write a summary to be presented to the class
6. How does the rotational inertia of the Enterprise compare with that of the Giant Wheel?
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BUMPER CARS
OVERVIEW
This is a classic & favorite amusement park ride for all age groups. Riders at the wheel of a 227kilogram car zip around the floor, trying to crash into or swerve around other vehicles as they choose.
TASK
To “feel” momentum through collisions.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Data Collection
Design
Thinking
Problem Solving
Observation
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Calculator
Ruler or Other Distance Approximation Device
Pencils & Paper
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Before riding, observe the motion of the cars and their passengers before, during, and after a
collision. In addition, measure the time needed for a car to travel three meters at full speed
without any hindrance to its forward motion.
2. Calculate the average velocity of a car.
3. What would be the momentum of your car?
4. What laws of physics are present during encounters with other cars? Illustrate with examples.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Are the collisions inelastic? Defend your answer.
2. During a collision, are both kinetic energy and momentum conserved? Explain.
3. If cars had rigid rather than rubber bumpers, would impulse increase, decrease, or stay the
same? Why?
4. What safety factors are incorporated into this attraction? Would you change the ride in any way?
5. Write a poem that explains why bumper cars are such a popular attraction.
6. Taking the position of a person who is new to the United States, write a short paragraph
explaining what he or she could learn about Americans by observing this ride.
7. Sketch, draw, or paint a bumper car to supplement your presentation.
8. Compare and contrast the results of a collision when:
 One car is not moving.
 Both cars are moving and one car hits the other in the rear.
 Both cars are moving and hit each other head on.
 A car collides with a stationary object (like the wall of the bumper car building).
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
18
BUMPER CARS: PROBABILITY
OVERVIEW
The bumper car attraction appeals to all age groups.
TASK
Determination of various probability variations.
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
Stopwatch
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. How many bumper cars are there?
2. How long does a ride on the bumper cars last?
3. Watch one car for the duration of the ride and count how many times it gets hit head on, from the
rear, and from the side.
4. Repeat task no. 3 and collect the data.
5. What is the average time elapsed between collisions?
6. What is the probability that a car can go without being hit for thirty seconds? Twenty seconds?
Ten seconds?
7. How does the probability of being hit increase the excitement of this attraction?
8. How many collisions can you expect to occur in one minute?
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Diagram the pattern created by the car you observed while completing task no. 3 above.
2. Can you predict the next sequence of activity?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
19
BREAKDANCE
OVERVIEW
If you become dizzy easily, it may be difficult for you to complete this project!
TASK
Achieve thoughtful insight through observation.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Data
Mathematical Reasoning
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Pick a passenger in a car on the Breakdance that’s located on a different axis from your car and
count the number of times you pass this person during the ride.
2. Compare your count with another passenger. Explain the difference, if any.
3. If a 350-pound gorilla wants to sit in your car, where would you suggest the gorilla sit? Why?
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write a paragraph describing your feelings about this attraction.
Sketch, draw, or paint this attraction.
Compare and contrast the reasons why people who have ridden this ride like or dislike it.
What would you do to make this ride more enjoyable?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
20
TIN LIZZIES
OVERVIEW
This attraction, with 389.5 meters of track, is a favorite of all age groups.
TASK
To relax and enjoy the attraction while calculating its velocity.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Core Concepts
Design
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Paper
Pencil
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Before riding, measure the duration of one trip around the track.
2. Sketch the path taken by the car.
3. Calculate the car’s average velocity.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Calculate the time it would take to return to your school if you were riding in a Tin Lizzies car.
Write a short narrative about the first time you got to “drive” a car.
Draw, sketch, or paint a Tin Lizzie.
Describe how you would decorate the Tin Lizzies. Why would your ideas appeal to the public?
Examine the safety features on this ride and list them. Are there any suggestions you might
offer to make the ride more enjoyable, but still relaxing and safe?
6. If the cars had no “speed governor,” how would this affect the attraction?
7. If no. 6 above were true, what safety factors would have to be changed? Why?
8. If the center rail were taken out, what other means would you suggest to keep the cars on the
track?
9. If it were up to you, how would you make this attraction even more popular?
10. What fuel is being used for the cars and how would a change in that fuel affect Kentucky
Kingdom?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
21
THE ROLLER SKATER COASTER
OVERVIEW
This coaster for the whole family is not as heart-stopping as Thunder Run, but don’t be fooled into
thinking it doesn’t deliver thrills! Stats for the Roller Skater are as follows: its lift is 32 feet tall, it has
679 linear feet of track, and its rider capacity is approximately 720 people per hour (8 cars, 2
passengers per car).
TASK
To calculate average speed and make comparisons with Thunder Run.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Design
Data
MATERIAL
Paper and Pencil
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Measure the duration of one complete run on the Roller Skater and calculate the ride’s average
speed.
2. Compare and contrast the Roller Skater and Thunder Run in at least five areas.
3. Draw, sketch, or paint the Roller Skater.
4. Write a short story about a 10-year–old child on the Roller Skater for the very first time who is
riding with a 16-year–old Thunder Run enthusiast who’s “showing off” on the Roller Skater.
5. Why would Kentucky Kingdom invest $1.2 million to purchase the Roller Skater? List at least five
reasons and explain why they are sound business reasons.
6. What colors would you select for this ride to make it even more appealing? Defend your answer.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
22
BELLA MUSICA
CAROUSEL
OVERVIEW
With its hand-carved figures, Bella Musica weighs
more than 24 tons! Its special design includes
different figures used by American and European
manufacturers, making it a real showpiece.
TASK
To determine the average speed of various figures on
the carousel.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Skills
Data
Patterns
Design
MATERIALS
Paper and Pencil
Calculator
Stopwatch
Tape Measure
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Measure the time required for the carousel to make one revolution.
2. Using your data, calculate the velocity of each row of figures on the carousel.
3. How much farther does a horse in the outer row travel in comparison with a horse in the inner
row?
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How could you design the carousel so that all of the figures travel the same distance?
Write a paper on the history of the carousel.
Write a short story from the point of view of one of the figures on the carousel.
Draw, sketch, or paint a carousel figure.
Compare or contrast the music that’s played on Bella Musica to the music you would pick for the
ride. If you would pick different music, why do you feel your music would be better?
6. Defend Kentucky Kingdom’s $1-million investment in this carousel.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
23
MILE HIGH FALLS
OVERVIEW
At nine stories (86 feet), Mile High Falls gives its passengers a huge thrill! The two boats contain 20
seats each and serve 600 to 700 guests per hour. The trough is approximately 900 feet long,
including a 200-foot drop at a 45-degree angle. The water flows down the drop chute at a rate of
1,500 gallons per minute. The speed of the boats descending the drop averages 48 mph. When a
boat hits the landing pool, it the result is a giant splash extending as far as 100 feet.
TASK
To transfer all measurements to metric units and compare calculated speed with actual speed.
CONCEPTS
Mathematical Concepts
Design
Models
Data
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Paper
Pencil
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Rewrite the overview of Mile High Falls above with metric units for all of the measurements.
2. Measure the time it takes for a boat to drop from the top of the run and make contact with the
water. Calculate the average speed of the boat. How does this compare with the listed speed?
What factors account for any difference?
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Calculate how many liters of water cascade down the chute within a 24-hour period, assuming
constant flow.
2. If each guest walks away from the ride one pound heavier because of the soaking, how much
water (in liters) must be replaced per hour?
3. Compare the speed of the boat to its present speed if the angle of the drop were 30 degrees and
again if that angle were 60 degrees.
4. Calculate the velocity of the water that hits the observation deck. How did you set up your data?
5. If the boats fully displace 10,000 pounds of water when they hit the landing pool, what is the force
of the water hitting the spectators on the observation deck? What factors are you presuming, if
any?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
24
POLYGONS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK
OVERVIEW
Geometry and theme parks – what a great combination! Students should know what a polygon is
and should recognize the different types of polygons.
TASK
At each ride, students will describe things they see that can represent any of the different types of
polygons.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Visualization
Writing
Space and Dimensionality
Mathematical Structure
MATERIALS
Pencil
Student Worksheets
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. At each ride, write down the things you see that represent any of the following: triangles,
squares, rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, a rhombus, or any polygon with more than
four sides.
2. Find five examples for each type of polygon and complete the worksheet.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Draw a rough sketch of some rides and show on each sketch the different types of polygons that
were found.
2. As a class, examine the different examples found for each type of polygon.
RIDES TO CONSIDER
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tin Lizzies
Breakdance
Bumper Cars
Himalaya
Enterprise
6. Giant Wheel
7. Thunder Run
8. Roller Skater
9. FearFall
10. Bella Musica
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
RIDE:
25
DESCRIPTION:
Triangles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Squares
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Rectangles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
26
Parallelograms
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Trapezoids
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Rhombus
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
27
WHICH ANGLES DO YOU SEE?
OVERVIEW
The activity relates classroom geometry lessons to the world of a theme park. Students should be
familiar with acute, right, obtuse, vertical, adjacent, complementary, and supplementary angles.
TASK
At each ride, students will describe things they see that can represent any of the different types of
angles.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Visualization
Writing
Space and Dimensionality
Mathematical Structure
MATERIALS
Pencil
Student Worksheets
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. At each ride, write down the things you see that represent any of the following: acute angles,
obtuse angles, right angles, vertical angles, adjacent angles, complementary angles, and
supplementary angles.
2. Find five examples for each type of angle and complete the student worksheets.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Draw a rough sketch of some of the rides and show on each sketch the different types of angles
found.
2. As a class, examine the different examples found for each type of angle.
RIDES TO CONSIDER
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Breakdance
Himalaya
Zeppelin
Giant Wheel
Thunder Run
6. Tin Lizzies
7. Enterprise
8. FearFall
9. Lightning Run
10. T3
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
RIDE:
28
DESCRIPTION:
Acute Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Obtuse Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Right Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Vertical Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Adjacent Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Complementary Angles
______________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________
________________________________________________
Supplementary Angles
______________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________
_________________________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
29
WHICH RIDE IS THE MOST POPULAR?
OVERVIEW
In this activity, students use their communication skills to express their views of the rides at Kentucky
Kingdom. Their opinions will be used to determine the percentage of students who like each ride and
which of the rides is the most popular. Each student should have some prior knowledge of the methods
for calculating percentages and of graphing.
TASK
After the students have ridden their chosen rides, the most popular ride is determined. Percentages
are calculated and the results are graphed.
CONCEPTS
Quantifying
Computing
Mathematical Reasoning
Using Electronic Technology
Mathematical Procedures
Classification
Writing
Speaking
MATERIALS
Scientific Calculator
Worksheet and Two Sheets of Graph Paper
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Ride ten rides of your choice, recording the things you like or dislike about each one.
2. Indicate which ride you felt was the most popular.
3. As a class, list all of the rides, count how many chose each ride as the most popular, and fill in
the numbers on the “Ride Results” worksheet.
4. Using the count for each ride and the total number of people who completed the survey,
calculate each ride’s percentage, complete the worksheet, and determine the most popular ride.
5. Using the graph paper, graph the results (one graph for the count and one for the percentage).
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Compare your results to those of other classes.
2. Break down the results according to males only and females only; compare these to the overall
results.
RIDES TO CONSIDER
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lightning Run
Thunder Run
Giant Wheel
T3
Bella Musica
6. Zeppelin
7. Breakdance
8. Himalaya
9. Enterprise
10. Skycatcher
11. Tin Lizzies
12. FearFall
13. Roller Skater
14. Cyclos
15. Bumper Cars
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
30
LIKES AND DISLIKES
RIDE
LIKES
DISLIKES
1._______________________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________________
4._______________________________________________________________________________
5._______________________________________________________________________________
6._______________________________________________________________________________
7._______________________________________________________________________________
8._______________________________________________________________________________
9._______________________________________________________________________________
10.______________________________________________________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
31
RIDE RESULTS
Ride Name
Most Popular (No.)
Most Popular (Percent)
No. in Class
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. _____________________________________________________________________________
Which ride did the class find to be the most popular? ______________________________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
32
PARALLEL, PERPENDICULAR, OR
INTERSECTING?
OVERVIEW
The activity relates classroom geometry lessons to the world of a theme park. Students should
understand the meaning of the terms “parallel,” “perpendicular,” and “intersecting” with respect to lines
and planes.
TASK
After drawing a rough sketch of each ride chosen, students will identify areas where they find parallel,
perpendicular, or intersecting lines and/or planes.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Visualization
Writing
Visual Arts
Space and Dimensionality
Mathematical Structure
MATERIALS
Pencil
Worksheet
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. After riding at least eight rides of your choice, draw a rough sketch of each ride on the worksheet.
2. On the sketch, indicate the area(s) where you find a representation of the following: parallel lines,
planes, or line and plane; perpendicular lines, planes, or line and plane; and intersecting lines,
planes, or line and plane.
3. Write a brief description of these areas on the back of the worksheet.
EXTENSIONS/ENRICHMENT
1. As a class, examine the different observations each student made.
2. As a class, count the number of different representations found for parallel, perpendicular, or
intersecting lines and/or planes.
RIDES TO CONSIDER
1. Cyclos
2. Lightning Run
3. Tin Lizzies
4. Bumper Cars
5. Enterprise
6. Thunder Run
7. Zeppelin
8. Roller Skater
9. T3
10. Giant Wheel
11. Flying Dutchman
12. Bella Musica
13. Skycatcher
14. Himalaya
15. FearFall
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
33
SKETCH YOUR RIDES
YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE AT LEAST EIGHT COPIES PER STUDENT
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
34
WHAT IS THE COST?
OVERVIEW
This activity relates a real-life situation of spending money at Kentucky Kingdom to consumer
applications. Each student should know how to multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals on a
scientific calculator. It might also be helpful if each student knows how to use the memory key(s) on a
scientific calculator.
TASK
After being told the cost of admission to Kentucky Kingdom, students use the descriptions of their day
at the park to calculate the total cost of a day at Kentucky Kingdom for one person, as well as the least
and the greatest amounts of money spent by one person.
CONCEPTS
Accessing Sources
Observation
Quantification
Computing
Mathematical Reasoning
Mathematical Procedures
Data
Writing
Using Electronic Technology
MATERIALS
Scientific Calculator
Small Notebook
Worksheet
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Bring a small notebook with you on your visit to Kentucky Kingdom and write down what you did
during the day, detail each item you bought and what it cost, and jot down the general feelings you
have about your visit. You will use this information to write a full description of your day at Kentucky
Kingdom.
2. Use the information from your notebook to complete the “Cost for One Day” worksheet.
3. Using that information and a calculator, complete the worksheet by calculating the cost for each
item and the total cost for the day.
4. As a class, examine what each student spent during their day at Kentucky Kingdom. On the
worksheet entitled “Class Cost at Kentucky Kingdom,” answer the questions based on the class
discussion.
EXTENSIONS/ENRICHMENT
1. Investigate the average cost for a day at Kentucky Kingdom for one person and discuss how an
individual student’s total cost for the day compared with that average.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
35
COST OF ONE DAY
Item Purchased
No. Purchased
Cost per Item
Total Cost
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
____________
___________
___________
_____________
Total cost for one person for one day = _______________________
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
36
CLASS COST AT KENTUCKY KINGDOM
1. What was your total cost for one day?
2. How did your cost for one day compare with the costs for other students in your class?
3. What was the smallest cost for one person in one day?
4. What was the largest cost for one person in one day?
5. When you made purchases, did you shop around for the best price or did you just buy at the first
shop you came to?
6. Are there differences in pricing or will you pay the same amount for the same items throughout
the park?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
37
UP, DOWN, OR STRAIGHT AHEAD?
OVERVIEW
This activity explores the idea of slope with respect to lines. Slope is examined through
observation of real-world situations at Kentucky Kingdom. Students should have some knowledge
of the meaning of slope and the meaning of positive, negative, and zero slopes.
TASK
At the four designated rides, students will identify the number of times they encounter a positive,
negative, or zero slope by observing the number of times the rides go uphill, downhill, or straight
ahead.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Visualizing
Mathematical Reasoning
Classifying
Space and Dimensionality
Change
Mathematical Structure
MATERIALS
Graph Paper
Worksheet
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. After observing and/or riding the four designated rides (Lightning Run, Roller Skater, T3, and
Thunder Run), count the number of times they go uphill, downhill, or straight ahead. Enter this
information on the “Up, Down, or Straight Ahead” worksheet.
2. Use graph paper to graph ten lines with the two-coordinate pairs given in the “Graphing” section
of the worksheet. Identify the slope of each line; is it positive, negative, or zero?
3. Identify on the graph paper which lines are examples of the uphill, downhill, or straight travel of
the roller coaster rides.
4. Answer the questions concerning slope and its relationship to the roller coasters at Kentucky
Kingdom.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Examine how this could be extended to other rides at Kentucky Kingdom or other locations in
the world.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
38
UP, DOWN, OR STRAIGHT AHEAD
WORKSHEET
As you ride, count the number of times each of these rides goes uphill, downhill, or straight ahead.
LIGHTNING RUN
T3
Uphill___________________
Uphill______________________
Downhill_________________
Downhill____________________
Straight_________________
Straight____________________
Thunder Run
Roller Skater
Uphill___________________
Uphill______________________
Downhill_________________
Downhill____________________
Straight_________________
Straight____________________
GRAPHING
1. Graph the following lines using the two given points and identify the slopes as positive, negative,
or zero.
a. (10,3) (-3,7)
b. (-5,4) (7,4)
c. (3,-12) (7,-5)
d. (-7,10) (-1,8)
e. (2,3) (7,6)
f. (-5,-7) (-2,-3)
g. (7,-5) (10,-5)
h. (2,8) (6,3)
i. (2,12) (7,12)
j. (-10,1) (-7,2)
2. On the same piece of graph paper, identify which lines represent the uphill, downhill, and/or
straight-ahead travel of the rides. Use colored pencils to mark each type of travel in a different
color (use red for uphill, blue for downhill, and green for straight ahead).
3. Using the information you have collected, answer the following questions.
A. On the four coasters, how many times did you encounter the following slopes:
Positive: __________
Negative: __________
Zero: __________
B. Of the four rides, which one seems to contradict the ideas of uphill representing a positive
slope, downhill representing a negative slope, and straight ahead representing a zero slope
all the time? Why does it seem to contradict this idea?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
39
BELLA MUSICA CAROUSEL #2
OVERVIEW
With its hand-carved figures weighing more than 24 tons and its special design incorporating figures
used by American and European manufacturers, this carousel is a real showpiece.
TASK
To determine the probability of riding any particular animal.
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
List the different animals on the carousel and how many there are of each type.
What is the capacity of each animal?
If a child is in line to ride, what is the probability that he or she will be able to ride a horse?
How many patrons can the carousel accommodate in one hour?
List other animals that could have been added and show how this additional seating could be
incorporated with the present animals on the carousel.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
40
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
OVERVIEW
Each shoe on the Flying Dutchman has a mass of 79 kilograms and a swing radius of 18.3 meters
while in operation - something to keep in mind as you enjoy this relaxing and charming ride!
TASK
To calculate the tension on the support cable for the shoes.
CONCEPT
Mathematical Skills and Concepts
Design
Data
Thinking
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Pencil
Horizontal Accelerometer
Calculator
Paper
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Before riding, measure the time it takes the ride to make one revolution.
2. Using your horizontal accelerometer, measure the angle of elevation to the point where a cable
is attached to a shoe.
3. Using your data, calculate the following: (a) linear velocity; (b) centripetal acceleration; (c)
centripetal force; (d) the tension on the cable supporting the shoe.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. How would you have to change the operation of the ride if it were located on the moon? On
Jupiter? Why would you have to make these changes?
2. Did this attraction originate in Holland? Why is a flying shoe used?
3. Draw a sketch of a flying shoe to supplement your presentation.
4. Compare and contrast the feeling of riding the Flying Dutchman with the feeling you get when you
ride the Enterprise.
5. Do you feel this attraction is designed to please all age groups or a particular age group? Why?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
41
T3 TERROR TO THE THIRD POWER
OVERVIEW
T3 is among the new generation of suspended looping coasters to debut in North America. The ride
features a 98-foot lift hill, a ten-story drop, and five upside-down inversions along its track length of
2,172 feet. Its duration of two minutes and five seconds may seem like an eternity to the faint of heart!
This ride, with two trains carrying 14 passengers each, can accommodate 800 passengers per hour.
TASK
To calculate the average speed for the entire ride.
To calculate the work required and power needed to move you to the ride’s highest point.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Thinking
Concepts
Data
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITIES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Measure the time it takes the train to move from the beginning of the ride to its highest point.
Calculate the average speed in m/s for the entire ride.
Calculate the work (in joules) required to move you to the ride’s highest point.
Calculate the power (in watts) needed to move you to the ride’s highest point.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Convert your power calculation from watts to horsepower.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
42
FEARFALL
OVERVIEW
Too chicken to go sky diving? Strap yourself in on Kentucky Kingdom’s FearFall ride, ascend 131
feet above ground level, and get ready to experience a free fall!
TASK
To experience the G-forces of free fall and calculate the maximum velocity of and distance traveled
by the ride vehicle.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Thinking
Concepts
Data
MATERIALS
Stopwatch
Vertical Accelerometer
Horizontal Accelerometer
Calculator
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
Measure the duration of the ride vehicle’s free fall.
Use this time measurement to calculate the distance covered in the free fall.
Calculate the maximum velocity of the ride vehicle.
Use vertical accelerometers to measure G’s during the free fall and during braking.
Using the horizontal accelerometer and trigonometric functions, calculate the height of FearFall.
Compare with the ride’s stated height & determine the percentage of error.
6. Calculate your potential energy when you are at the top of FearFall.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. Explain the criteria you used to measure the duration of the free fall.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
43
THE BUS RIDE
OVERVIEW
Even your trip to and from Kentucky Kingdom can be a learning experience.
TASK
Calculate average acceleration and speed by observing the speedometer.
CONCEPTS
Observation
Computation
Mathematical Procedures
Mathematical Reasoning
Data
MATERIALS
Pencil and Paper
Calculator
Stopwatch
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
Using a stopwatch, determine how long it takes the bus to accelerate from 35 to 55 mph. Observe
the mileage on the odometer when the trip starts and when the bus stops at Kentucky Kingdom. Time
the trip from school to Kentucky Kingdom. From observed data & speed/acceleration formulas,
calculate the average acceleration & speed for your bus.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. How does the average acceleration and speed of your bus compare with those of the other
buses your school group used to travel to Kentucky Kingdom?
2. Why would these results differ?
3. Convert all measurements to metric units.
4. Blindfold a classmate and experiment with the concepts of time and distance. Tell your
classmate the speed of the bus and have him or her guess how long it takes to travel one mile.
Have your classmate give you, from memory, a map of the turns taken in the course of the drive
to Kentucky Kingdom and compare it with one you prepared (without a blindfold!) while riding to
the park.
5. Calculate the probability that there will be two girls sitting together in one seat.
6. Calculate the probability that there will be a seat with only one person.
7. As you look out your bus window, list three events taking place that would compare with what
you are expecting to see and do at Kentucky Kingdom.
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
44
5D CINEMA – MOVIES YOU RIDE
OVERVIEW
Hold on to your seat – you are about to ride off into the big screen. You won’t want to be eating
popcorn during this movie!
TASK
To experience Newton’s laws first hand.
To understand how experiencing a “movie you ride” differs from your experience in a regular movie
theatre.
CONCEPTS
Reasoning
Observation
Core Concepts
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. In how many different directions does your seat move during this ride?
2. What mechanism do you think operates the seats? How do you think it works?
3. When do you experience Newton’s first law of motion during this ride? Newton’s second law?
Newton’s third law?
4. As the name of this ride implies, you actually feel as though you are riding through the movie.
Explain how this is so, using various frames of reference.
EXTENSIONS / ENRICHMENT
1. How does a moving seat change the movie-watching experience?
2. The movies shown at this ride change on a yearly basis. Do you think the moving seats are
reprogrammed for each new movie and, if so, how is that done?
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
45
ENERGIZED! THE ENERGY CHALLENGE
OVERVIEW
The Law of Conservation of Energy states that the total amount of energy in a system remains constant,
although energy transforms from one form to another (specifically potential to kinetic energy). Potential energy
is stored energy, or energy of position, because the energy stored depends on the position of the object. Kinetic
energy is the energy of motion. A skier at the top of a slope has stored energy (potential energy). When the
skier leaves the top, that potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. Mechanical energy is the use of fuelpowered machines to complete a task. In the thrill rides at Kentucky Kingdom, all of these types of energy are
combined.
GOALS
Observation
Systems and Interactions
MATERIALS
Paper
Pencil
DIRECTIONS / ACTIVITY
1. Compare the rides on the worksheet that use energy transfer to complete the ride. Record
your data on the worksheet.
2. What effect does the transfer of energy have on the sensation of the ride?
3. When do you feel the greatest effects?
4. Using the diagram below, label the energy transfers (mechanical, kinetic, and potential
energy).
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
46
EDUCATION IN
MOTION
ENERGIZED! WORKSHEET
Maximum
Ride
Potential Energy
Maximum
Kinetic Energy
Use of
Mechanical Energy
Cyclos
Lightning Run
Skycatcher
T3
Thunder Run
Enterprise
HIGH SCHOOL
KENTUCKY KINGDOM / EDUCATION IN MOTION
47
HIGH SCHOOL