How a roller coaster works - roller coasters physics

It's one of my favourite inventions and most propably don't know exactly how it works. The surprising fact is that roller coasters don't depend on an engine for their movement! Yes, that's right, there is no engine to push or pull you so, how a roller coaster works exactly?

To understand the mechanism by which these great thrillers work let's talk for a minute about two simple priciples in physics potential and kinetic energy.

The potential energy or the energy of posture which builds up as the roller coaster ascends the first hill. The higher the hill, the more the potential energy gained and reserved by the roller coaster.

Once at the top of the hill, gravity pulls the cars and the kinetic energy is then converted into another form of energy which is kinetic energy. The faster the roller coster move, the more kinetic energy it has.

Then this kinetic energy pushes the cars up the next hill and start building new potential energy and so on. The same thing happens at the loops, kinetic energy helps the cars to ascend and as it ascends it gains potential energy which is changed again into kinetic energy with the next descend.

So, roller coasters depend mainly on energy conversion from one form to another. The first hill is usually the highest so it gives enough potential energy to move the cars all the way to the end as this energy is also decreased by frictions throughout the way. A roller coaster has compressed air brakes to stop it at the end of the ride. Modern roller coasters have induction motors as a launch mechanism.

All these forces affect your body and pushes it in different directions, your weight keep changing during the ride from point to point. When these forces opposing each other come to a state of balance, you feel "weightless" and this is how the thing works and why you feel (thrilled) and flying.

I hope that helped you a little to understand how a roller coaster works without having to go through physics laws. :)

:)