What is the physics of a roller coaster?

Introduction. 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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Most roller coasters run by the Law of Inertia. Since an object at rest stays at rest, all roller coasters have to be pushed or pulled to get started. The student's roller coaster started at the top of a big hill.

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When the coaster moves down a hill and starts its way up a new hill, the kinetic energy changes back to potential energy until it is released again when the coaster travels down the hill it just climbed. Gravity and inertia are big players when it comes to how you experience the ride.

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Most roller coaster rides begin with a lift hill, where a chain connects with the train and carries the riders to the first and tallest incline. As you reach the crest of the hill, the chain pushes the train over the hill. Gravity takes over and pulls the train down the hill into a controlled free fall.

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If the tracks tilt up, gravity applies a downward force on the back of the coaster, so it decelerates. Since an object in motion tends to stay in motion (Newton's first law of motion), the coaster car will maintain a forward velocity even when it is moving up the track, opposite the force of gravity.

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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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Programmable logic controllers, usually three of them, monitor every aspect of a coaster's operations. They regulate the ride's speed, ensure that trains never come too close to one another, and alert human operators to technical glitches or track obstructions.

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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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If the tracks slope down, gravity pulls the front of the car toward the ground, so it accelerates. If the tracks tilt up, gravity applies a downward force on the back of the coaster, so it decelerates.

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Friction against the track and air resistance act against inertia, so each subsequent hill is lower. Early coasters were very slow, so coasters were engineered for the illusion of speed through low hanging ceilings and deliberately swaying tracks.

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14 Fun Facts About Roller Coasters
  • The American roller coaster was invented to save America from Satan. ...
  • One of the earliest coasters in America carried coal before it carried thrill seekers. ...
  • “Russian mountains” predated roller coasters—and Catherine the Great improved them. ...
  • Roller coaster loops are never circular.


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The conversion of energy from one form to another (for example from potential to kinetic) is virtually never 100% efficient. That is, some of the energy escapes in other forms.

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