This is commonly referred to as the centripetal force requirement. The magnitude and direction of these two forces during the motion through the loop are depicted in the animation below.įor an object to move along a circular path at a constant speed, there must be a net inward force acting upon the rider. Since the orientation of the car on the track is continuously changing, the normal force is continuously changing its direction. The force of gravity is at all times directed downwards and the normal force is at all times directed perpendicular to the seat of the car. Thus, the only forces exerted upon the riders are the force of gravity and the normal force (the force of the seat pushing up on the rider). To simplify the discussion, we will assume that there are negligible amounts of air resistance acting upon the riders. To understand the feelings of weightlessness and heaviness experienced while riding through a loop, it is important to think about the forces acting upon the riders. These drastic changes in accelerations are the cause of much of the thrill (and the occasionally dizziness) experienced by coaster riders. Within nearly a one second time interval, the riders may experience accelerations of 20 m/s/s downwards to 30 m/s/s upwards such drastic changes in acceleration normally occur as the rider moves from the top of the loop to the bottom of the loop. Not only is there an acceleration, the magnitude and direction of the acceleration is continuously changing. This change in direction is caused by the presence of unbalanced forces and results in an acceleration. At all times, the direction of motion could be described as being tangent to the loop. A coaster rider is continuously altering her direction of motion while moving through the loop. The explanation for the various sensations experienced on a roller coaster loop are associated with Newton's laws of motion and the physics of circular motion.Ī clothoid loop has a constantly curving shape with sections which resemble the curve of a circle (in actuality, it is considered to be a section of a cornu spiral having a constantly changing radius). The parts of the ride which are most responsible for these sensations of weightlessness and heaviness are the clothoid loops. As a rider starts the descent down the first drop, she begins a one-minute adventure filled with various sensations of weightlessness, heaviness, and jerkiness. Roller coaster rides are notorious for creating accelerations and g-forces which are capable of transforming stomach contents into airborne projectiles. Multimedia Studios » Circular, Satellite, and Rotational Motion » Roller Coaster G-Forces
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