Key ideas: science 7

The London Eye

1. Built to commemorate the millennium, the London Eye is a 442-foot-high rotating wheel situated on the bank of the River Thames in London. Architects David Marks and Julia Barfield designed the turning wheel to represent the turning of the century.
2. The London Eye looks like a giant Ferris wheel. But it’s actually a cantilevered observation wheel. This means that the structure is anchored on only one side by an A-frame. The legs of the A-frame lean toward the Thames on an angle, allowing the structure to sit over the river. Similar to a bicycle wheel, the hub and spindle are connected to the rim of the wheel by cables, or spokes. Hydraulic motors rotate the wheel around the hub.
3. On the London Eye there are 32 capsules, which take 30 minutes to make one rotation. The wheel rotates slowly so that passengers can walk on and off without stopping the wheel. Each capsule represents one of London’s boroughs. Passengers can sit or stand inside the fully enclosed capsules, each of which has its own heating and cooling system. There’s also a stability system in each capsule to keep them level. When at the very top of the London Eye, passengers can see as far as 40 kilometers.