How does PE potential energy change as the coaster goes down the slope of the track toward the bottom?

As the car descends the first slope, its PE is converted to KE. At the low point much of the original PE has been transformed to KE, and speed is at a maximum. As the car moves up the next slope, some of the KE is transformed back into PE and the car slows down.



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The potential energy of the roller coaster when it is at the top of a hill is converted into kinetic energy as the roller coaster speeds down the hill. As the roller coaster goes up another hill, it slows down. The kinetic energy is converted into potential energy.

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Real roller coasters are subject to two forces that remove energy from the system: friction between the cart and the track and air resistance. Both of these forces take energy from the cart and convert it to thermal energy, which is then dissipated to the surrounding atmosphere.

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