Where do you feel heaviest on a roller coaster loop?
The normal force however has a small magnitude at the top of the loop (where the rider often feels weightless) and a large magnitude at the bottom of the loop (where the rider often feels heavy).
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Roller coasters are generally designed to have non-zero but fairly small normal forces at the top, so a rider feels almost weightless. At the bottom of the loop, the apparent weight can be considerably larger than mg, so a rider feels much heavier than usual.
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.
The same can be said for this phenomenon on roller coasters. “You feel very light at the top of loops, but heavier than usual at the bottom” (Boston University).
When at the top of the loop, a rider will feel partially weightless if the normal forces become less than the person's weight. And at the bottom of the loop, a rider will feel very weighty due to the increased normal forces.
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. The middle seats have the weakest ride in terms of view and speed but they'll give you everything the seats in the front and the back do at just a little less intensity.
The best seat on a coaster, then, is a matter of personal taste. If you love the feeling of weightlessness, head for the back.If you want the best view of the action, head for the front. The cars in the middle provide the weakest ride, but it's a good bet you'll still have a good time.
As the cars move through the loop, the net force acting on your body is constantly changing. At the very bottom of the loop, the acceleration force is pushing you down in the same direction as gravity. Since both forces push you in the same direction, you feel especially heavy at this point.
Physics/MechanicsMost roller coaster loops are not circular in shape. A commonly used shape is the clothoid loop, which resembles an inverted tear drop and allows for less intense G-forces throughout the element for the rider.
The normal force however has a small magnitude at the top of the loop (where the rider often feels weightless) and a large magnitude at the bottom of the loop (where the rider often feels heavy).
Balance is determined by your inner ear struggling to keep you aligned with a level plane so, no, closing your eyes will not assist whenever you're struggling with balance concerns on a roller coaster. Induced vertigo, however, is probably what's causing the most difficulties on a roller coaster.
People with high blood pressure and/or heart conditions are warned not to ride roller coasters because of the way they tax the cardiovascular system. The adrenaline rush that roller coasters give you causes a rapid spike in your heart rate and blood pressure.