The two most important forms for amusement park rides are kinetic energy and potential energy. In the absence of external forces such as air resistance and friction (two of many), the total amount of an object's energy remains constant.

Amusement park rides are living laboratories for the laws of classical mechanics, primarily driven by the interplay of gravity, inertia, and centripetal force. Roller coasters, for instance, rely on the conversion of potential energy (gained while being pulled up the initial lift hill) into kinetic energy as they plummet downward. Once the train is in motion, gravity provides the acceleration, while inertia—the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion—keeps the cars moving through loops and over hills. During a vertical loop, centripetal force (the "center-seeking" force provided by the track) pushes the riders toward the center of the circle, while their own inertia makes them feel "pressed" into their seats. Spinning rides, like the Mad Tea Party, use centripetal force to keep the teacups moving in a curve, while riders experience a "centrifugal" sensation as their bodies try to travel in a straight line. Drop towers utilize free fall physics, where the ride vehicle and passengers fall at the same rate of acceleration (9.8m/s2), creating a momentary sensation of weightlessness because the normal force typically provided by the seat disappears.