The Physics Of Carousel
The Physics of Carousel
A Research Paper
Presented to
International program-physics
Global Prestasi School
In partial fullfilment of the Requirements for the IGCSE-Physics preparatory class by Nandira Kirana Thaib
January 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
What is a carousel?....................................................................................................... 2
History…………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
The Physics of Carousel……………………………………………………………………. 4
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
What is a carousel?
A carousel, or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The "seats" are traditionally in the form of rows of wooden horses or other animals mounted on posts, many of which are moved up and down by gearwork to simulate galloping to the accompaniment of looped circus music.
Carousels are commonly populated with horses, each horse weighing roughly 100 lbs (45 kg), but may include diverse varieties of mounts, like pigs, zebras, tigers, or mythological creatures such as dragons or unicorns. Sometimes, chairlike or benchlike seats are used as well, and occasionally mounts can be shaped like airplanes or cars.
History
The carousel is based on a game called “carosella” that was played by Turkish and Arabian soldiers in the 1100s. The game involved soldiers on horseback, riding around in circles, charging each other and throwing clay balls filled with perfume at each other. If you caught the ball, you threw it at someone else. If you got hit, you were out of the game. Spanish and Italian crusaders saw the game the Turks and Arabs played, and they took it with them back to Europe. The game evolved into one in which riders attempted to spear tiny brass rings stationed on the outside of a circular carousel area. This is where the well-known tradition of grabbing the brass ring came from.
By the 1680s, the original version of the game faded. In the
A Research Paper
Presented to
International program-physics
Global Prestasi School
In partial fullfilment of the Requirements for the IGCSE-Physics preparatory class by Nandira Kirana Thaib
January 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
What is a carousel?....................................................................................................... 2
History…………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
The Physics of Carousel……………………………………………………………………. 4
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
What is a carousel?
A carousel, or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The "seats" are traditionally in the form of rows of wooden horses or other animals mounted on posts, many of which are moved up and down by gearwork to simulate galloping to the accompaniment of looped circus music.
Carousels are commonly populated with horses, each horse weighing roughly 100 lbs (45 kg), but may include diverse varieties of mounts, like pigs, zebras, tigers, or mythological creatures such as dragons or unicorns. Sometimes, chairlike or benchlike seats are used as well, and occasionally mounts can be shaped like airplanes or cars.
History
The carousel is based on a game called “carosella” that was played by Turkish and Arabian soldiers in the 1100s. The game involved soldiers on horseback, riding around in circles, charging each other and throwing clay balls filled with perfume at each other. If you caught the ball, you threw it at someone else. If you got hit, you were out of the game. Spanish and Italian crusaders saw the game the Turks and Arabs played, and they took it with them back to Europe. The game evolved into one in which riders attempted to spear tiny brass rings stationed on the outside of a circular carousel area. This is where the well-known tradition of grabbing the brass ring came from.
By the 1680s, the original version of the game faded. In the
Bibliography: 1. http://wiki.croomphysics.com/index.php?title=The_Physics_in_an_Amusement_Park 2. http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/carousel.html 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carousel 4. http://physicsof.net/amusementparks/carousel.htm 5. http://www.hometrainingtools.com/amusement-park-physics/a/1411/