Physics of Roller Coasters Essay -- Roller Coaster Theme Park Amusemen

gyre coasters be driven almost entirely by inertial, gravitational and inward-moving forces. Amusement parks keep building faster and more Byzantine bankroll coasters, provided the fundamental principles at work remain the same. A roller coaster is like revile. It consists of a series of connected cars that move on tracks. But unlike a passenger recrudesce, a roller coaster has no engine or power source of its own. For most of the ride, a roller coaster is moved only by the forces of inertia and gravity. The only exertion of cypher occurs at the very beginning of the ride, when the cars argon practiceed up the first hill, or the lift hill. The purpose of this first climb is to build up potential zero. The concept of potential energy is As the coaster gets higher in the air, thither is a greater distance gravity can pull it down. The potential energy built-up going up the hill can be released as energizing energy, energy of motion, as soon as the cars pop up coasting down the hill. At the return of the first lift hill (a), there is level best potential energy because the look at is as high as it gets. As the train starts down the hill, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy -- the train speeds up. At the bottom of the hill (b), there is maximum kinetic energy and little potential energy. The kinetic energy propels the train up the second hill (c), building up the potential-energy level. As the train enters the loop (d), it has a lot of kinetic energy and not practically potential energy. The potential-energy level builds as the train speeds to the sack up of the loop (e), but it is soon converted back to kinetic energy as the train leaves the loop (f). When the coaster is relea... ...ly upside down, gravity is pulling you out of your seat, toward the ground, but the stronger quickening force is pushing you into your seat, toward the sky. Since the two forces pushing you in opposi te directions are nearly equal, your body feels very light. As in the sharp descent, you are almost weightless for the brief moment when you are at the top of the loop. As you come out of the loop and level out, you become punishing again. In a loop-the-loop, the intensity of the acceleration force is determined by two factors the speed of the train and the angle of the turn. As the train enters the loop, it has maximum kinetic energy -- that is, it is moving at top speed. At the top of the loop, gravity has slowed the train down somewhat, so it has more potential energy and less kinetic energy -- it is moving at reduced speed.