Roller Coaster Thrills Additional Information
Learn about the history of roller coasters at search.eb.com/coasters/ (Encyclopedia Britannica).
You can learn to design your own coaster at www.funderstanding.com/k12/coaster/ (Funderstanding), www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics/coaster.html(Annenberg/CPB), or media.dsc.discovery.com/convergence/coasters/interactive/interactive.html (Discovery Channel).
To see photos of roller coasters at many different amusement parks, go to www.ridezone.com/(Joel W. Styer/RideZone).
Cedar Point has a Web site at www.cedarpoint.com/ (Cedar Point), and Islands of Adventure has a Web site at themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website/ioa_landing.html (Universal Studios).
To learn more about type-T personalities, see whyfiles.org/026fear/psych1.html(Why Files).
Information about Mt. Everest can be found at www.everestpeaceproject.com/everest_fact.php (Everest Peace Project).
Sohn, Emily. 2003. Worry seems to shorten a timid rat’s life. Science News for Kids (Dec. 17). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2003/12/worry-seems-to-shorten-a-timid-rats-life-2/.
______. 2003. Brain signals attention disorder. Science News for Kids (Dec. 3).
Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2003/12/brain-signals-attention-disorder-2/.
______. 2003. A classroom of the mind. Science News for Kids (Oct. 22). Available
at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2003/10/a-classroom-of-the-mind-2/.
Books recommended by SearchIt!Science:
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Roller Coasters — Lynn M. Stone
Published by Rourke Book Co., 2002.
When you’re waiting in line to hop on a roller coaster, have you ever wondered how the brakes work? Or how the cars in the coaster train stay on the track . . . or how the entire roller coaster was built? With colorful photographs of many roller coasters, this book will answer many of your roller coaster questions. Learn about the history of roller coasters, from the wooden structures of the 1920s to today’s steel suspension coasters. Find out how engineers use physics to design roller coasters, and read about their construction. At the end of the book, you can check out some of the most famous wooden and steel roller coasters in North America. |
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The American Roller Coaster — Scott Rutherford
Published by MBI Publishing, 2000
From the roller coasters of the mid-19th century to today’s twisted monsters of steel, this complete history rattles through all the ups and downs of coaster lore. Marvelous photos help document the emergence of amusement parks in the 1880s, the golden age of roller coasters from 1900 to 1930, the roller coaster’s decline in the 1960s, and the revival that continues to clatter toward its peak today. |
Power Words
adrenaline A hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys. Adrenaline is released when a person is afraid, anxious, excited, or angry. Adrenaline is also used as a medicine to make the heart beat faster.
attention deficit disorder A condition in which a person finds it hard to pay attention and concentrate and tends to act without thinking. Attention deficit disorder interferes with how well a person follows instructions. People with attention deficit disorder sometimes also have hyperactivity. Attention deficit disorder is called ADDfor short.
gene A tiny part of a chromosome, made up of molecules of DNA. Traits are passed from parent to offspring through the genes. The shape of a plant leaf, the color of an animal’s coat, and the texture of a person’s hair are all determined by genes.
Copyright © 2002, 2003 Houghton-Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Used with permission.