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Magazines - Amusement Park Physics!
If you have an idea for a great field trip, please click our Ideas page!
Suggested Reading:
Classical physics experiments in the amusement park Physics Experiments in the Amusement Park
Interested in what experiments to run while at the park? Check out this article by Sara Bagge and Ann-Marie Pendrill, written in Physics Education in 2002. It goes into many practical experiments that you can use at any park!
Student's Reaction to Amusement Park Physics Student's Reaction to Amusement Park Physics
Interested in your student's reaction? Check these out!
Articles from Göteborg University Articles from Göteborg University
Göteborg University is one of the leading universities in Sweden, and they offer many free online articles about Amusement Park Physics and other topics. See articles about roller coaster loops, amusement park physics, and the speed of roller coasters.
More Articles from Periodicals:

"Which Way is ‘UP’ or the ‘Force of Gravity’ in Some Simple Accelerated Systems."
Bartlett, Albert A., "Which Way is ‘UP’ or the ‘Force of Gravity’ in Some Simple Accelerated Systems." The Physics Teacher, Volume 10, Number 8, pp. 429-437. November 1972.
  • This article from the Physics Teacher is an outstanding source on defining frames of reference.
Amusement Park Physics
Escobar, Carole, "Amusement Park Physics," The Physics Teacher, Volume 28 pp. 446-453. October 1990.
  • This article from the Physics Teacher is a very good reference on Amusement Park Physics and provides a good background source for teachers.
Exploratorium Quarterly, Volume 11, Issue 2.
Exploratorium Quarterly, Volume 11, Issue 2. Summer 1987 (entire issue). October 1990.
  • Sponsered by the Exploratorium, this entire magazine is full of useful information and has a broad review of the science and talks of illusions in the carnival area.
What a Blast
Jones, Christopher, "What a Blast," Compressed Air, Volume 103, Number 6, pp. 22-29. September 1998
  • What to know more about air-powered roller coasters? Check out this article which is all about thrill rides that run on compressed air.
Physics Students’ Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain
McGehee, John, "Physics Students’ Day at Six Flags/Magic Mountain," The Physics Teacher, Volume 26, Number 1, pp. 12-17, January 1988.
  • What to know more Physics Days in general? This magazine offers a real life description of a Physics Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Physics and the Amusement Park
Roeder, John L., "Physics and the Amusement Park," The Physics Teacher, Volume 13, Number 6, pp. 327-332. September 1975.
  • This is another great article about the science behind amusement park rides, and the physics of some rides. It also discusses field trips
The Amateur Scientist
Walker, Jean, "The Amateur Scientist," Scientific American, Volume 249, Number 4, pp. 162-169. October 1983.
  • Looking for a article on Amusement Park Physics that details the physics of many rides without getting into complex equations? This is an excellent non-mathematical article detailing the physics of many rides.




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