written by
Professor Michael Gallis
edited by
Wolfgang Christian
content provider:
Barbara Christian,
Anne Cox, and
Mario Belloni
The EJS Roller Coaster model explores the relationship between kinetic, potential, and total energy as a cart travels along a roller coaster. Users can create their own roller coaster curve and observe the resulting motion.
The Roller Coaster 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).
Roller Coaster Energy Model: Teacher Version
The EJS Roller Coaster Energy Model: Teacher Version shows the motion and… more... download 1290kb .jar
Published: June 17, 2009
previous versions
Roller Coaster Energy Model: Student Version
The EJS Roller Coaster Energy Model: Student Version is a simulation for… more... download 996kb .jar
Published: June 17, 2009
previous versions
Roller Coaster Energy Model: Lesson Plan
A pdf file with a teacher lesson plan for use with the Roller Coaster Energy… more... download 145kb .pdf
Published: June 17, 2009
previous versions
Roller Coaster Energy Model: Student Worksheet
A pdf file with a student worksheet for use with the Roller Coaster Energy… more... download 88kb .pdf
Last Modified: March 21, 2010
previous versions
Roller Coaster Model source code
The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the Roller… more... download 361kb .zip
Published: October 27, 2008
previous versions
Is it legal to remix? I read this but i am still not sure.
5. Conveying Modified Source Versions.
You may convey a work based on the Program, or the modifications to produce it from the Program, in the form of source code under the terms of section 4, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
* a) The work must carry prominent notices stating that you modified it, and giving a relevant date. * b) The work must carry prominent notices stating that it is released under this License and any conditions added under section 7. This requirement modifies the requirement in section 4 to "keep intact all notices". * c) You must license the entire work, as a whole, under this License to anyone who comes into possession of a copy. This License will therefore apply, along with any applicable section 7 additional terms, to the whole of the work, and all its parts, regardless of how they are packaged. This License gives no permission to license the work in any other way, but it does not invalidate such permission if you have separately received it. * d) If the work has interactive user interfaces, each must display Appropriate Legal Notices; however, if the Program has interactive interfaces that do not display Appropriate Legal Notices, your work need not make them do so.
A compilation of a covered work with other separate and independent works, which are not by their nature extensions of the covered work, and which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an "aggregate" if the compilation and its resulting copyright are not used to limit the access or legal rights of the compilation's users beyond what the individual works permit. Inclusion of a covered work in an aggregate does not cause this License to apply to the other parts of the aggregate.
Got a reply from Prof Wolfgang, reproduced here for closure of whether open source allows others to edit and put back to the community.
What you have done with the roller coaster model is perfectly legal. Michael and I are happy that you are using improving the model. This is the whole idea behind open source.
4E (6-8) #4. Energy appears in different forms. Heat energy is in the disorderly motion of molecules; chemical energy is in the arrangement of atoms; mechanical energy is in moving bodies or in elastically distorted shapes; gravitational energy is in the separation of mutually attracting masses.
4E (9-12) #1. Whenever the amount of energy in one place or form diminishes, the amount in other places or forms increases by the same amount.
Gallis, M. (2008). Roller Coaster [Computer software]. Retrieved September 9, 2010, from http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8228&DocID=873
%0 Computer Program %A Gallis, Michael %D October 27, 2008 %T Roller Coaster %E Christian, Wolfgang %8 October 27, 2008 %U http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=8228&DocID=873
Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.
The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.