Taking the Plunge: The Physics of Roller Coasters
Saturday Morning Physics
Taking the Plunge: The Physics of Roller Coasters
Date: 4/12/2008; 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Location: 170 & 182 Dennison
Host Department: Physics
Speaker: Professor David Gerdes, Physics (UM)
Roller coasters are thrill factories: the heart-stopping plunge, the g-forces that press you into your seat, the feeling that you will float away as you crest the hill, the rush as you circle the loop-the-loop. This talk will describe how the thrills you experience at the amusement park originate with Newton's laws of motion, and how the physiological limits of the human body govern the design of the rides.
Detailed Information
All talks are free and refreshments will be served. Visitor parking for the seminars (Central Campus) is across the street from the Dennison Building in the U-M Church Street structure. There is a $2.00 parking charge implemented by U-M Parking Services.
Contact Information
For more information regarding the Saturday Morning Physics series, see the Physics Department website, or call 734.764.4437
Physics Department, University of Michigan
Randall Laboratory
450 Church Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1040
Phone: (734) 764-4437
Fax: (734) 763-9694
Email: physics@umich.edu
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