Theme Park visit report: The physics of roller coasters.

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Theme Park Visit Report

On the 11th October 2007, we visited Drayton Manor theme park. We set out to learn more about the physics involved in theme parks. Although there are many aspects of physics present in a theme park I have concentrated my effort on just two aspects in this report. The two aspects I have chosen are power and efficiency.

Before I start calculating power and efficiency I have decided to explain the basic principles of a roller coaster as it helps when explaining the usefulness of knowing power and efficiency how they can be calculated and the equations to calculate them.

Physics of the roller coaster.

The purpose of a roller coasters initial ascent is to build up gravitational potential energy(fig.1). Once you pass over the crest of the initial ascent the built up gravitational potential energy of the cart is transferred to kinetic energy as you descend for the first time(fig.2).

A force of 9.81 NKg-¹ is applied to the cart as this is the Earth’s gravitational field strength which gives the cart an acceleration of about 9.81 ms-² as it falls towards the Earth.

As Newton’s third law states the conservation of momentum means that an object in motion retains momentum and in turn motion. So as the cart ascends up the second ascent it will retain motion(fig.3), but decelerates at 9.81 ms-² as it travels against the force of gravity converting it’s kinetic energy into gravitational potential energy.

This process of gravitational potential energy being converted into kinetic energy and then converted into gravitational potential energy again is repeated over and over again as the cart follows the twisting and turning track(fig.4).

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*Gravitational potential energy: gravitational potential energy is energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field gained by height.

*Kinetic energy: kinetic energy is the energy of a body or a system with respect to the motion of the body or of the particles in the system.


Another force associated with roller coasters is friction. Fiction is the force which opposes the motion of the car, but also holds the car to the track. Although this friction is needed it is not wanted as it slows the car down. Efficiency calculates the percentage ...

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