Question
Amusement parks are an exciting draw for individuals of all ages and interests, from adrenaline-inducing roller coasters to the cooling thrills of log flumes and the fun, romantic scenes taken in on Ferris Wheels. One of the biggest draws at any amusement park is the roller coaster. Nothing tops the anticipation of hearing each click as you go up the first big lift hill and the speed and excitement of racing down at 65 mph. 65 mph might sound like an alarmingly fast speed to travel in a little metal cart on steel rails with nothing holding you in except for a lap bar, and it is. That is why roller coasters have to undergo rigorous testing before and during operation. One of the tests that is run on roller coasters involves crash test dummies, but since mass plays a massive role in available energy, unlike regular crash test dummies, roller coasters use water dummies. These dummies are large, hollow, plastic bodies that can be loaded into the roller coaster cart and then filled with water. This helps add mass to the roller coaster carts as testing is performed on the roller coaster. This is vital because the more mass an object has, the more kinetic energy it will gain as it travels along the track. The more kinetic energy the cart has, the harder it is to stop at the end of the roller coaster.
Question 1
Part A Why is it important to use crash test dummies that are full of water during roller coaster testing?
Responses
A To simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the testsTo simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the tests
B To simulate the shape of people on the roller coaster during the testsTo simulate the shape of people on the roller coaster during the tests
C To better differentiate roller coaster crash test dummies from standard car crash test dummiesTo better differentiate roller coaster crash test dummies from standard car crash test dummies
D To ensure that the liquid portion of the human body remains stable during the roller coaster testTo ensure that the liquid portion of the human body remains stable during the roller coaster test
Question 2
Part B Which piece of evidence best explains your reasoning behind your answer in Part A?
Responses
A A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.
B The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ limbs are not in danger of hitting anything while in the cart.The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ limbs are not in danger of hitting anything while in the cart.
C Crash test dummies for cars could be easily mistaken for roller coaster dummies if not for this difference.Crash test dummies for cars could be easily mistaken for roller coaster dummies if not for this difference.
D The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ internal organs will not be harmed by the speed of the cart on the track.The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ internal organs will not be harmed by the speed of the cart on the track.
Question 1
Part A Why is it important to use crash test dummies that are full of water during roller coaster testing?
Responses
A To simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the testsTo simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the tests
B To simulate the shape of people on the roller coaster during the testsTo simulate the shape of people on the roller coaster during the tests
C To better differentiate roller coaster crash test dummies from standard car crash test dummiesTo better differentiate roller coaster crash test dummies from standard car crash test dummies
D To ensure that the liquid portion of the human body remains stable during the roller coaster testTo ensure that the liquid portion of the human body remains stable during the roller coaster test
Question 2
Part B Which piece of evidence best explains your reasoning behind your answer in Part A?
Responses
A A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.
B The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ limbs are not in danger of hitting anything while in the cart.The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ limbs are not in danger of hitting anything while in the cart.
C Crash test dummies for cars could be easily mistaken for roller coaster dummies if not for this difference.Crash test dummies for cars could be easily mistaken for roller coaster dummies if not for this difference.
D The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ internal organs will not be harmed by the speed of the cart on the track.The roller coaster needs to test to make sure peoples’ internal organs will not be harmed by the speed of the cart on the track.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
**Question 1**
Part A: The correct answer is **A**: To simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the tests.
Using water-filled dummies adds mass that mimics the weight of real passengers, which is crucial for accurately assessing how the roller coaster will perform under the weight of riders.
**Question 2**
Part B: The best piece of evidence that supports the reasoning in Part A is **A**: A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.
This evidence directly relates to the importance of simulating the mass of passengers for testing, as the kinetic energy of the roller coaster carts is significantly influenced by the mass present during the tests.
Part A: The correct answer is **A**: To simulate the mass of people on the roller coaster during the tests.
Using water-filled dummies adds mass that mimics the weight of real passengers, which is crucial for accurately assessing how the roller coaster will perform under the weight of riders.
**Question 2**
Part B: The best piece of evidence that supports the reasoning in Part A is **A**: A larger mass increases the kinetic energy of an object in motion.
This evidence directly relates to the importance of simulating the mass of passengers for testing, as the kinetic energy of the roller coaster carts is significantly influenced by the mass present during the tests.