Sophomores in the Chemistry & Physics course visited Everland on May 21 to apply concepts they learned in class to real-life amusement park rides. By observing roller coasters and other attractions, students observed physics concepts such as Newton’s laws, energy, and kinematics while also enjoying their time with friends.
“One of the objectives [of this trip] is to see physics in the real world and apply what you learned to something concrete,” Glen Monaghan, Chemistry & Physics teacher, said. “The second objective is to have fun, because physics is fun!”
In this unit, students learned about Newton’s laws of motion and how forces affect the movement of objects. At Everland, students were required to choose one or two rides and collect data to answer summative questions for a total of 10 points.
“We chose Everland because they have better roller coasters to analyze,” Mr. Monaghan said. “We went to Lotte World one year, but it was hard to see the roller coasters because they were on the ceiling.”
One of the ride options was the Bumper Car, where students estimated the mass of the car and rider, measured collision time, and the car’s speed before collision. Using this data, students then calculated acceleration and net force during a collision, allowing them to connect formulas from class to an actual ride.
As the first grade-wide field trip of the school year, this trip gave sophomores a chance to have fun with their friends outside of school. Although the assignment was part of an assessment, students were still able to enjoy the park, ride attractions, and socialize with friends throughout the day.
“I enjoyed the Everland trip because I could have fun with my friends and socialize outside of school,” Ethan Choi (10), Chemistry & Physics student, said. “It also helped me understand physics in a more interactive way, especially when I was answering summative questions based on my observations during the trip.”
Overall, the trip served as both an academic assessment and a memorable opportunity for students to learn outside the classroom.
