Emirates Air Line: Science – Key Stage 3
National Curriculum Links:
WORKING SCIENTIFICALLY
Experimental skills and investigations
 Make and record observations and measurements using a range of methods for different
investigations; and evaluate the reliability of methods and suggest possible improvements.
Analysis and evaluation
 Apply mathematical concepts and calculate results.
Measurement
 Use and derive simple equations and carry out appropriate calculations.
MOTION AND FORCES
Describing motion
 Speed and the quantitative relationship between average speed, distance and time
(speed = distance ÷ time).
 The representation of a journey on a distance-time graph.
Forces
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Using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in one dimension, balanced and unbalanced
forces.
Work done and energy changes on deformation .
Balanced forces
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Opposing forces and equilibrium: weight held by stretched spring or supported on a
compressed surface.
Forces and motion
 Forces being needed to cause objects to stop or start moving, or to change their speed or
direction of motion (qualitative only).
 Change depending on direction of force and its size.
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Cross-curricular links:
ICT: The Internet can also be used as a tool for investigation.
Maths: Identify variables and express relations between variables algebraically and graphically.
Resources:
London Transport Museum: http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/
projects-partnerships/emirates-scheme
TfL Journey Planner: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/
Key words:
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Force
Movement
Time
Distance
Speed
Stationary
Constant speed
Gravitational potential energy
Kinetic energy
Energy transfer
Accuracy
Precision
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Activity:
Task 1: (Could be completed prior to, during or after the cable car visit)
1. For the cable car diagram, above, draw arrows to show the forces acting on them. Label the
arrows and identify the type of force acting by name.
2. Write a sentence to describe how the forces and the movement of the cable cars are linked.
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Task 2: (Could be completed before or after the visit. Internet access and graph paper
is required)
Your task is to journey plan a day trip for you school to North Greenwich Station (or Royal Victoria),
using the Emirates Air Line.
Go to TfL Journey Planner and get information on the time the journey will take and its distance. Now
using the distances and the times they suggest plot a distance–time graph for this journey (hint: plot
distance on the Y-axis and time on the X-axis). You might want to add in what would happen if you
decided to stop for a cup of tea on the way!
For the journey you have just graphed, work out the average speed; the speed at the fastest section
and the speed for the slowest section. Mark each of these on your graph.
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Task 3: (A calculator is required for this activity, keep in mind 1 ton = 1000 kilograms)
The haul rope for the Emirates Air Line weighs almost 100 tons. The cabins weigh almost another 40
tons, passengers (when cabins fully laden) add almost another 25 tons and the wind (even on a mild
day) can mean that the drive motor for the Cableway is moving up to 200 tons! Each cabin can lift
750kg of passengers. The main towers of the Emirates Air Line are 90m high; (an 87-metre north
main tower at Clyde Wharf, a 66 metre intermediate tower south of Docklands Light Railway and a
60m main support tower south of the river). All three towers sit on piles which go 50m down into the
ground! Main haul rope is a single loop that is 2.2km long.
Draw a diagram of the configuration of the cable cars, including the following
1. The three main towers, their height and distance into the ground
2. A cable car partaking in each of the following motions
a. Stationary
b. Speeding up
c. Moving at a constant speed
Draw arrows to show (and label the names of) the forces acting on each of the three cars
3. Label where the cable cars have maximum gravitational potential energy (see if you can
calculate how much they acquire at all 3 towers)
4. Label where the cable cars have maximum kinetic energy. See if you can calculate how much
speed is gained due to the energy transfer of gravitational energy to kinetic (neglecting friction
and the forces due to the drive motor).
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Task 4:
The three towers are made of steel. Because of this and how they are built the towers follow the sun
like sunflowers, however even when they are moving in the sun the overall deviation is less than
40mm. Explain, using scientific reasoning, the cause of this deviation.
(Hint: refer the particle theory of matter)
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Task 5: A calculator is required for this task.
Make a prediction as to how fast you think the cable cars move _______m/s
As a group, see if you can use the distance between towers and measure the time it takes of cross
between them. Use this information to predict the speed that the cable cars move.
Make your measurements as accurate and precise as possible
(hint: repeat measurements, use equipment that allows as many increments as possible, etc…)
Some more helpful details:
The distances between stations are:
 South station (Emirates Greenwich Peninsula) to South Main Tower; 179.860m
 South main Tower to North Main tower (crossing the Thames): 431.590m
 North Main Tower to the North Intermediate Tower: 186.780m
 North Intermediate Tower to the North Station (Emirates Royal Docks): 285.350m
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