Physics Project 3 – Roller Coaster
Daily Journal
Kristen Zhang 1999

Day One –
Sketched a drawing of the roller coaster

Made a shopping list for the materials needed to build the project

Day Two –
Purchased all materials needed (note: all measurements are in inches)

Material	Type	Purpose
Cardboard	Any (at least 30 x 35 in area)	Covers and walls of the roller coaster
Aluminum	Rolled Flashing – Economy 10 x 10	Path of the roller coaster
Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks	Any	Pasting the items together
Styrofoam	Any	Stretch out the walls of the coaster
Tape	Clear is preferred	Pasting the items together
Wood	Rectangular 7 x 33	Base of the finishing product
Hot Wheels	Any	For testing
Golf Ball	Regular	For testing

Day Three –
Cut out the covers / walls for the roller coaster

beginning with the basic form of the loop

then cut out the runway and the second elevation

See diagram below

pasted one end of the circle to the other end of the other circle with clear tape (if taped correctly, you should form a spiral)

pull gently outward on both side of the spiral, you should see the basic form of the loop of your roller coaster!

Day Four –
Built roller coaster runway and the second elevation

use two pieces of cardboard and cut out the walls of the roller coaster (begin with the second elevation)

See diagram for the shapes I used

use Styrofoam to extend the walls (by shaping out the same curves of the wall and paste it between the walls with a hot glue gun)

Day Five –
Used Styrofoam to extend the loop

the easiest way to do this is to cut out 5 or 6 (3 x 2.5) rectangles

then paste them along the loop with hot glue

Caution: DO NOT attempt to move the rectangles while the glue is still wet, you can really burn yourself. I learned this the hard way!

Day Six –
Created the runway for the roller coaster

cut a 30 x 10 rectangle from cardboard

fold the cardboard as shown below

paste with either tape or hot glue to the other end of the spiral, similar to the procedure used for pasting the 2nd elevation

use Styrofoam, if needed, to even the path from the runway to the spiral

Day Seven –
Applied the inside lining for the entire roller coaster

make sure you ware a pair of special gloves to avoid cutting yourself

cut out about 2.5 wide and 75 ~ 80 inches long of the aluminum

paste the lining (aluminum) along the previously pasted Styrofoam rectangles

use Styrofoam under the aluminum, if needed, to form a smooth path for the roller coaster

allow the hot glue to dry

Day Eight -
Attached the finishing product to a base for free-standing purposes

use the 7 x 33 wood

use hot glue to attach the roller coaster to the wood

add more weight on the wood if needed to support the roller coaster from tipping

decorate the final product if desired

Project is done!

For more detail, see photo if available

Kristen Zhang
1999

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Mr Lewis

	pasted one end of the circle to the other end of the other circle with clear tape (if taped correctly, you should form a spiral)
	pull gently outward on both side of the spiral, you should see the basic form of the loop of your roller coaster!

	the easiest way to do this is to cut out 5 or 6 (3 x 2.5) rectangles
	then paste them along the loop with hot glue

	cut a 30 x 10 rectangle from cardboard
	fold the cardboard as shown below
	paste with either tape or hot glue to the other end of the spiral, similar to the procedure used for pasting the 2nd elevation
	use Styrofoam, if needed, to even the path from the runway to the spiral

	make sure you ware a pair of special gloves to avoid cutting yourself
	cut out about 2.5 wide and 75 ~ 80 inches long of the aluminum
	paste the lining (aluminum) along the previously pasted Styrofoam rectangles
	use Styrofoam under the aluminum, if needed, to form a smooth path for the roller coaster
	allow the hot glue to dry

	use the 7 x 33 wood
	use hot glue to attach the roller coaster to the wood
	add more weight on the wood if needed to support the roller coaster from tipping
	decorate the final product if desired

Physics Project 3 – Roller Coaster Daily Journal Kristen Zhang 1999

Day One – Sketched a drawing of the roller coaster

Made a shopping list for the materials needed to build the project

Day Two – Purchased all materials needed (note: all measurements are in inches)

Material

Type

Purpose

Cardboard

Any (at least 30 x 35 in area)

Covers and walls of the roller coaster

Aluminum

Rolled Flashing – Economy 10 x 10

Path of the roller coaster

Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

Any

Pasting the items together

Styrofoam

Any

Stretch out the walls of the coaster

Tape

Clear is preferred

Pasting the items together

Wood

Rectangular 7 x 33

Base of the finishing product

Hot Wheels

Any

For testing

Golf Ball

Regular

For testing

Day Three – Cut out the covers / walls for the roller coaster

beginning with the basic form of the loop

then cut out the runway and the second elevation

See diagram below

pasted one end of the circle to the other end of the other circle with clear tape (if taped correctly, you should form a spiral)

pull gently outward on both side of the spiral, you should see the basic form of the loop of your roller coaster!

Day Four – Built roller coaster runway and the second elevation

use two pieces of cardboard and cut out the walls of the roller coaster (begin with the second elevation)

See diagram for the shapes I used

use Styrofoam to extend the walls (by shaping out the same curves of the wall and paste it between the walls with a hot glue gun)

Day Five – Used Styrofoam to extend the loop

the easiest way to do this is to cut out 5 or 6 (3 x 2.5) rectangles

then paste them along the loop with hot glue

Caution: DO NOT attempt to move the rectangles while the glue is still wet, you can really burn yourself. I learned this the hard way!

Day Six – Created the runway for the roller coaster

cut a 30 x 10 rectangle from cardboard

fold the cardboard as shown below

paste with either tape or hot glue to the other end of the spiral, similar to the procedure used for pasting the 2nd elevation

use Styrofoam, if needed, to even the path from the runway to the spiral

Day Seven – Applied the inside lining for the entire roller coaster

make sure you ware a pair of special gloves to avoid cutting yourself

cut out about 2.5 wide and 75 ~ 80 inches long of the aluminum

paste the lining (aluminum) along the previously pasted Styrofoam rectangles

use Styrofoam under the aluminum, if needed, to form a smooth path for the roller coaster

allow the hot glue to dry

Day Eight - Attached the finishing product to a base for free-standing purposes

use the 7 x 33 wood

use hot glue to attach the roller coaster to the wood

add more weight on the wood if needed to support the roller coaster from tipping

decorate the final product if desired

Project is done!

For more detail, see photo if available

Kristen Zhang 1999

Physics Project 3 – Roller Coaster
Daily Journal
Kristen Zhang 1999

Day One –
Sketched a drawing of the roller coaster

Day Two –
Purchased all materials needed (note: all measurements are in inches)

Day Three –
Cut out the covers / walls for the roller coaster

Day Four –
Built roller coaster runway and the second elevation

Day Five –
Used Styrofoam to extend the loop

Day Six –
Created the runway for the roller coaster

Day Seven –
Applied the inside lining for the entire roller coaster

Day Eight -
Attached the finishing product to a base for free-standing purposes

Kristen Zhang
1999