PASCO ME-9812 User Manual
Instruction Manual
Roller Coaster
Model No. ME-9812
Manual No. 012-07842B
Roller Coaster Model No. ME-9812
Table of Contents
EQUIPMENT LIST................................................... 3-4
INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 5
TRACK ASSEMBLY...................................................... 5
1. Plugging in the Hole Inserts.........................................................................................5
2. Using Support Feet with the Panels.............................................................................6
3. Attaching the Track to the Panels.............................................................................6-7
4. Attaching Photogates to the Track...............................................................................7
5. Attaching the Catcher to the Track...........................................................................7-8
6. Using the Track without the Panels..........................................................................8-9
CAR ASSEMBLY OPTIONS ............................................ 9
1. Wheel Labels ...............................................................................................................9
2. Bumper (elastic and inelastic)......................................................................................9
3. Photogate Flag ...........................................................................................................10
4. Adding a Ballast Mass and Additional Masses..........................................................11
5. Coupling Three Cars..................................................................................................11
6. Stacking Two Cars.....................................................................................................11
7. Car Center of Mass ....................................................................................................11
SUGGESTED EXPERIMENTS (WITH CONFIGURATIONS).........12
1. Loop (One Car)..........................................................................................................12
2. Cup of Water Over Loop...........................................................................................13
3. Three-Car Coaster......................................................................................................13
4. Collision Between Two Cars at Bottom of Loop.......................................................13
5. Conservation of Energy (Hills)..................................................................................14
6. Conservation of Energy (Step)...................................................................................14
7. Brachistochrone vs. Straight Track............................................................................15
8. Brachistochrone vs. Brachistochrone (at different start positions)............................15
9. Acceleration Down Different Inclined Tracks...........................................................1 6
10. Collisions on a Level Track.....................................................................................16
11. Acceleration of Car by Mass on String over Pulley................................................16
12. Projectile Car Off End of Track (3 different steps).................................................17
13. Projectile Car Off End of Track after Colliding .....................................................17
14. Oscillations in a Well...............................................................................................18
15. Conservation of Angular Momentum......................................................................18
16. Position, Velocity, Acceleration..............................................................................19
17. Circular Track..........................................................................................................19
18. High Road and Low Road........................................................................................20
APPENDIX A: Technical Support ..................................... 21
APPENDIX B: Copyright and Warranty Information ................ 21
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Model No. ME-9812 Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster
Model No. ME-9812
Equipment List
2
1
6
Included Equipment Replacement
3
5
4
7
8
Model Number*
1. Roller Coaster Track (1 coil), 9.1 meters, 5.1 cm width
2. Support Panel (left), white (1), 85.9 cm x 60.4 cm
3. Support Panel (center), white (1), 52.8 cm x 60.4 cm
4. Support Panel (right), white (1), 85.9 cm x 60.4 cm
5. Support Feet (4)
6. Collision Accessory (3) with 6-32 screws (3)
7. Mini-Cars (3): 1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow; mass = 0.18 kg ea.
8. Flags for Mini-Cars (3)
(Equipment list continued on next page)
®
648-07711
648-07835
648-07836
648-07837
648-07838
003-08112
ME-9813
648-07789
3
Roller Coaster Model No. ME-9812
Equipment List (Continued)
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Included Equipment Model Number
9. Catchers (2)
10. Track couplers (2)
11. Hole inserts (70)
12. Hole insert nuts (70)
13. Peg clips (50)
14. Short pegs; 7.4 cm length (3)
15. Long pegs; 16.2 cm length (40)
16. Photogate mounting pegs (4), 18.9 cm length
17. Photogate brackets (4)
18. Ballast masses for mini-cars (3); mass= 0.04 kg ea.
19. Water cups (3)
20. Rubber bands (1 package with 2 lengths)
003-08114
648-08023
648-07810
648-07811
648-07714
648-07807
648-07806
003-08022
648-04984
648-07951
699-125
726-043 and 726-044
20
Optional Equipment (for experiment s)
21. Photogate Head
22. Smart Timer
23. Projectile Mini-Catcher Accessory or Projectile Catcher Accessory
24. Rotating Platform
21. Photogate/Pulley System
22. Super Pulley with Clamp
23. Computer
24. DataStudio® software (version 1.6 or later)
25. Data collection interface (
or without PASPORT
ScienceWorkshop
™
Xplorers)
®
interface, USB links with
*Use Replacement Model Numbers to expedite replacement orders.
4
Model Number
ME-9498A
ME-8930
ME-6814 or ME-6815
ME-8951
ME-6838
ME-9448A
NA
Various
(See PASCO catalog).
CI-6450 or PS-2100 or
PS-2000
®
Model No. ME-9812 Roller Coaster
Introduction
The ME-9812 PASCO Roller Coaster has loops and hills for studying
conservation of energy and centripetal acceleration, a straight track for
collisions, and a brachistochrone to demonstrate the path of least time.
Track Assembly
1. Plugging in the Hole Inserts (one-time installation):
To prepare the ME-9812 Roller Coaster for first use, the hole inserts
must be plugged into the holes. This is a one-time installation, as the
inserts are a permanent part of the support panels.
a) To install the inserts, press
one plastic insert into each of
nut
insert
the 70 holes in the three
boards. The inserts should be
inserted in from the white side
of the panel (See Figure 1).
Note: There is a notch on the
inside of the inserts which
allows the photogate pegs to be
keyed into the insert to prevent
Figure 1: Pressing inserts
into the support panel.
rotation.
Orientating each insert with the
notch at the bottom makes it
easier to locate the notch when
a photogate peg is used.
nut
b) On the back side of the
boards, secure each insert with
an insert nut by twisting the nut
onto the insert by hand (See
Figure 2). Place the provided
Figure 2: Tightening the nut on
the insert
board labels on each board to
identify the left, center, and
right panel boards. This completes the assembly of the boards.
board
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Roller Coaster Model No. ME-9812
2. Using Support Feet with the Support Panels
There are many different track configurations possible (see pages 12-
20 for examples). Some use two support panels and others use three
support panels. The support panels can be used in different
orientations, rotated 90 degrees from the usual orientation. The panels
are supported in the vertical position by placing them end-to-end in
the slots of the black support feet. When all three support panels are
used, four support feet are required: one on the left end of the left
board, one on the right end of the right board, one spanning the
junction of the left and center boards, and one spanning the junction of
the right and center boards. The panels are not connected to each other
in any other way. If only two panels are used together, only three
support feet are required. If desired, a large binder clip can be used to
clip the joints together at the top of the boards.
3. Attaching the Track to the Support Board
The 9.1-m long track is shipped in a coil. Before first use, it may be
necessary to lay the track out flat for a few minutes to remove any set.
It is recommended that you cut this track into sections: A length of
approximately 4 m is required for the roller coaster loop. If the
track length exceeds the amount required for the selected track
configuration, let the excess track hang off one end.
a) Select the desired track configuration and push a peg into each one
of the holes. The pegs will snap into place. Pegs can be removed by
pulling firmly with your hand.
b) Begin connecting the track to
the board at one end. To attach
the track to a peg, place a peg clip
peg clip
into the slot on the underside of
the track at the location of the peg.
The peg clips should be twisted in
the slot so the edges of the slot
capture the clip (See Figure 3).
Slide the clip in the slot a short
distance to align it with the peg on
the board.
Figure 3: Snapping
the clip onto the peg
c) Snap the clip onto the peg.
CAUTION: To avoid
damaging the track,
do not coil the track
into a small radius
(less than 12 cm).
Two different lengths of pegs are supplied. Long pegs are required for
running two tracks side-by-side. Short pegs are occasionally required
to avoid collision between the peg and the car on the second track.
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