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Merry Mixer Ride Model
written by Michael R. Gallis
Anyone who has ridden "The Scrambler" ride at an amusement park will be familiar with the system depicted in this simulation. The Merry Mixer Ride Model shows the interaction of two superimposed circular motions. The main frame of the ride rotates in one direction, while a second rotation at the ends of the frame arms carries the riders in an additional circular motion, usually in the opposite direction. Students can control the two rotation rates and the radii of the two orbits. Horizontal force vectors can be displayed, as well as a graph of the g-force on the rider vs. time. What parameters will give the maximum acceleration to the riders? What parameters will cause riders to crash into the center pole? The simulation is formatted in 3D to allow users to change their visual perspective.

The Merry Mixer Ride Model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool.  It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive.  Double clicking the jar file will run the program if Java is installed.

Please note that this resource requires at least version 1.5 of Java (JRE).
1 source code document is available
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Classical Mechanics
- Motion in Two Dimensions
= 2D Acceleration
- Newton's Second Law
= Force, Acceleration
- Rotational Dynamics
- High School
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Activity
= Model
= Simulation
- Audio/Visual
= Movie/Animation
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- New teachers
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Intended Users:
Learner
Educator
Format:
application/java
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a GNU General Public License Version 3 license.
Rights Holder:
Michael Gallis
Keywords:
angular momentum, amusement park
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created January 15, 2012 by Wolfgang Christian
Record Updated:
June 10, 2014 by Andreu Glasmann
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 9, 2012
Other Collections:

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

4. The Physical Setting

4F. Motion
  • 6-8: 4F/M3b. If a force acts towards a single center, the object's path may curve into an orbit around the center.

11. Common Themes

11A. Systems
  • 6-8: 11A/M2. Thinking about things as systems means looking for how every part relates to others. The output from one part of a system (which can include material, energy, or information) can become the input to other parts. Such feedback can serve to control what goes on in the system as a whole.
  • 9-12: 11A/H2. Understanding how things work and designing solutions to problems of almost any kind can be facilitated by systems analysis. In defining a system, it is important to specify its boundaries and subsystems, indicate its relation to other systems, and identify what its input and output are expected to be.
11B. Models
  • 6-8: 11B/M4. Simulations are often useful in modeling events and processes.
  • 9-12: 11B/H2. Computers have greatly improved the power and use of mathematical models by performing computations that are very long, very complicated, or repetitive. Therefore, computers can reveal the consequences of applying complex rules or of changing the rules. The graphic capabilities of computers make them useful in the design and simulated testing of devices and structures and in the simulation of complicated processes.
  • 9-12: 11B/H3. The usefulness of a model can be tested by comparing its predictions to actual observations in the real world. But a close match does not necessarily mean that other models would not work equally well or better.
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link
AIP Format
M. Gallis, Computer Program MERRY MIXER RIDE MODEL (2012), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531).
AJP/PRST-PER
M. Gallis, Computer Program MERRY MIXER RIDE MODEL (2012), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531>.
APA Format
Gallis, M. (2012). Merry Mixer Ride Model [Computer software]. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531
Chicago Format
Gallis, Michael. "Merry Mixer Ride Model." https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531 (accessed 6 November 2024).
MLA Format
Gallis, Michael. Merry Mixer Ride Model. Computer software. 2012. Java (JRE) 1.5. 6 Nov. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Michael Gallis", Title = {Merry Mixer Ride Model}, Month = {January}, Year = {2012} }
Refer Export Format

%A Michael Gallis %T Merry Mixer Ride Model %D January 9, 2012 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531 %O application/java

EndNote Export Format

%0 Computer Program %A Gallis, Michael %D January 9, 2012 %T Merry Mixer Ride Model %8 January 9, 2012 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=11642&DocID=2531


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Merry Mixer Ride Model:

Is Based On Easy Java Simulations Modeling and Authoring Tool

The Easy Java Simulations Modeling and Authoring Tool is needed to explore the computational model used in the Merry Mixer Ride Model.

relation by Wolfgang Christian

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