Question

(a)
Does Universal Studio’s claim about the coaster’s height (51 m) appear to be true? Answer the question with a claim using your knowledge of Conservation of Energy and support it with claim, evidence and reasoning using data and calculations.

Answer 1

I don’t have the measurements you used, so I can’t say yes/no yet. Tell me the measured speed(s) or other data and I’ll compute it. Meanwhile, here is the conservation-of-energy method you should use (claim, evidence, reasoning) and an example calculation so you can check the 51 m claim.

Claim
- If mechanical energy is (approximately) conserved, the coaster’s initial height must be such that mgh = 1/2 m v^2 at the bottom. Using a measured bottom speed v gives a single-number test of the 51 m claim.

What to measure (data needed)
- Measured speed v at the bottom of the drop (or at some known reference height).
- If friction/air resistance is non-negligible, an estimate of the energy lost (work done by non-conservative forces) or measurements at two heights to determine energy loss.

Key equation (from conservation of energy, ignoring losses)
- m g h = 1/2 m v^2 -> h = v^2 / (2 g)
(g = 9.80 m/s^2)

Example calculation (illustrative)
- Suppose you measured v = 31.6 m/s at the bottom.
- h = v^2/(2g) = (31.6^2) / (2 × 9.80) = 998.56 / 19.6 ≈ 51.0 m.
- Evidence: computed h ≈ 51.0 m, which agrees with Universal Studios’ claim of 51 m.
- Reasoning: mass cancels so result is independent of mass; if the coaster’s kinetic energy at the bottom equals the gravitational potential energy lost from the claimed height, the claimed height is consistent with your measured speed. This assumes negligible energy losses; if losses exist the true initial height must be larger than v^2/(2g) by the amount of energy dissipated divided by mg.

If you give me your measured speed (or heights and times) I will compute h and state whether the 51 m claim is supported or not.