The Science of Disney Imagineering: Friction

Overview

Do Walt Disney Imagineers encounter resistance in their work? Of course they do... when it comes to friction! Here the Imagineers showcase how different types of friction - static, kinetic, and rolling - come into play when they're designing Disney's theme park rides and attractions. From rollercoaster wheels for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to the shape of a Disney Cruise Line ship's hull, the Imagineers can use tribology (the study of friction) to find ways to reduce drag. Students will learn the different types of friction as well as the roles that gravity and Newton's First Law play.