Activity: Studying the Motion of Abyss Turbo Drop with a Datalogger

Key Learning Points

1. Velocity
2. Uniformly accelerated motion
3. Motion graphs

Introduction

By taking the Abyss Turbo Drop with a datalogger, students can obtain motion data of the ride. A displacement-time graph of the motion can be plotted, from which students can find velocity or acceleration of the ride in different stages of the motion. The analysis involved will be similar to the activity using the Motion Video Analysis Software.

Students taking the Turbo Drop with the datalogger.

Background knowledge

Basic
• Displacement-time graphs of uniform motion and uniformly accelerated motion.
• Slope of s-t graph = velocity.

Advanced
• Finding velocity and acceleration by curve fitting using a spreadsheet program.

Procedure

Basic
• Wear the jacket specially designed for holding the portable datalogger. Insert the datalogger into the pocket on the jacket.
• Check the sample rate by pressing the Display button. If necessary, use the Minus and Plus buttons to change the sample rate to the maximum value (20 samples per second).
• Take the Abyss Turbo Drop. Press the Start/Stop button to start data collection as soon as you sit on the ride.
• Enjoy the ride. Press the Start/Stop button to end data collection when you leave the ride.
• Connect the datalogger to the computer using the special USB cable.
• Use the DataStudio software to collect the motion data and display them as motion graphs.
• Look at the altitude versus time graph. Identify the time intervals corresponding to the different stages of the ride's motion. Discuss the motion at each stage.

Advanced
• Export the altitude versus time data to a text file using the DataStudio software. Sort out the part of the data which describes the passenger platform when it is (1) travelling upwards initially, (2) thrust downwards for the first time.
• Plot the displacement-time graphs for these two time intervals. Use a spreadsheet program (e.g. MS Excel) to fit data set (1) with a straight line and data set (2) with a suitable curve. It is recommended that only the first 1.8 s of the fall be analyzed.
• Discuss the motion for each of these time intervals.
• Find out the velocity and/or acceleration with the spreadsheet program for each case.

Discussion

Basic
• Identity the time intervals corresponding to the different stages of the motion. Which time interval corresponds to (a) initial rise? (b) brief stop at the top? (c) first downward thrust? (d) subsequent rises and falls?
• In which time interval(s) is the ride (a) travelling at a constant velocity? (b) at rest? (c) accelerating? (d) decelerating?

Advanced
Based on the s-t graphs of (1) the initial rise and (2) the first downward thrust, answer the following questions.
• Is the velocity constant during the initial rise? How do you know? How do you find the velocity of the initial rise?
• Fit the motion data of the first downward thrust with a suitable curve and discuss the result.

[top]