waterslide

..

Water slide

National Geographic takes a high-level look at the physics behind waterslides. A lot of science goes into providing a safe 60 mph trip down slides like Walt Disney World’s 10-story Summit Plummet. ‘Safety is our number one concern,’ explains Rick Hunter of ProSlide Technology. ‘We’re thinking about things like, “are you going to stay on the fiberglass tube,” it’s really easy to do a computer model and look at curves and drops and forecast rider position and speed.'”

Safe at 60 mph
There are a lot of questions and engineering decisions that go into designing and building a waterslide.

  • Ask – How much does the smallest rider weigh? How much does the biggest rider weigh? Do riders sit on a tube or mat, or just their swim suits? How tall will the waterslide be? How will riders get to the top?
  • Imagine – Is this a twisting ride, or a fast scary straight down experience?
  • Design, Build – With the basic waterslide idea in mind, the designers can use computer simulations to work out the details. How fast will the water flow? How high must the sides of the waterslide be to keep all the riders from going over the edge in a turn? How far a part do the riders need to be spaced so they don’t run into one another?
  • Improve – The waterslides built today make rider safety a top priority. Riders have a great time going down the slide and being a bit scared. The best waterslides end with a big splash at the bottom. When waterslides were first introduced some riders were hurt. Designers are applying more physics and using computer modeling to ensure that every rider has a good experience.

That’s engineering

  • fluid dynamics – One of the key components of a waterslide is water, of course. However, making sure that there is water flowing over the entire surface as riders make their way through the twists and turns on their way to the bottom requires a lot of planning and testing. Too much water is unnecessary and wasteful. Too little water can be unsafe and uncomfortable for the riders. Engineering is required to get it just right.
  • Flow in Open Channels – Water Slide, Curb Drain, Drainage Ditch

Engineering ideas

  • forces, velocity, friction, gravity, lubricant, inertia, curve, radius, resistance,

Do it
Here are some challenges for you to work on…

  • Find several different water slides. Compare the features of each. What do they have in common? What is different that makes it special?
  • If you were designing a water slide, what features would you include?

News, updates

Learn more…

Unknown's avatar

Published by ..