Do roller coasters just use gravity?

A roller coaster is a machine that uses gravity and inertia to send a train of cars along a winding track. The combination of gravity and inertia, along with g-forces and centripetal acceleration give the body certain sensations as the coaster moves up, down, and around the track.



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A roller coaster does not have an engine to generate energy. The climb up the first hill is accomplished by a lift or cable that pulls the train up. This builds up a supply of potential energy that will be used to go down the hill as the train is pulled by gravity.

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While the roller coaster moves downward and increases it's velocity, the momentum increases. Momentum helps determine how hard it would be to stop a roller coaster so it would be harder to stop the roller coaster if it has more momentum.

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Basic mathematical subjects such as calculus help determine the height needed to allow the car to get up the next hill, the maximum speed, and the angles of ascent and descent. These calculations also help make sure that the roller coaster is safe. No doubt about it--math keeps you on track.

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A roller coaster ride comes to an end. Magnets on the train induce eddy currents in the braking fins, giving a smooth rise in braking force as the remaining kinetic energy is absorbed by the brakes and converted to thermal energy.

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Different types of brakes are used to stop the train at the end of a ride. These brakes use friction to slow down and stop a roller coaster's momentum by converting the train's kinetic energy into heat energy. For example, roller coasters are kind of like riding your bike down a hill.

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06 September 22 - 5 Interesting Facts About Roller Coasters
  • The First Roller Coaster was Built in 1817. ...
  • Britain's Oldest Surviving Roller Coaster was Built in 1920. ...
  • There are More Than 2,400 Roller Coasters in the World Today. ...
  • Roller Coaster are Among the Safest Rides. ...
  • Roller Coaster Loops are Never Perfectly Circular.


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At the bottom of the loop, gravity and the change in direction of the passenger's inertia from a downward vertical direction to one that is horizontal push the passenger into the seat, causing the passenger to once again feel very heavy.

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How safe are rides? According to IAAPA, there are 0.9 injuries per million rides and that in a typical year, more than 385 million guests take more than 1.7 billion rides at about 400 North American fixed-site facilities.

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It suggests that the chances of being killed on a rollercoaster are just one in 170 million, while the injury odds are approximately one in 15.5 million.

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The coaster will roll on indefinitely, or until of course the end of the track, where unbalanced forces like friction between the track and the wheels slow the coaster ultimately to a stop. The riders, which have inertia, are also acted on by unbalanced forces throughout the ride, causing them to change their motion.

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“As we get older, the vestibular system gets less efficient, meaning it doesn't respond as easily to motion of the head or to movement around us. Normally the inner ear responds to movement automatically, so we aren't aware that it is working until the movement is too much for our vestibular system to handle.

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If a coaster's acceleration is too great, however, the force of gravity stops the flow of blood to the eyes and brain. At higher levels for longer periods, extreme g-forces could cause blackouts or temporary blindness. But the g-forces roller coasters exert are relatively harmless.

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And those sitting in the last car in the line always experience the fastest ride and who doesn't want fast on a roller coaster? As your coaster tops a hill, the front car will seem to hang over the edge, but the rear car will whip over much faster.

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