What are the forces involved in roller coasters?

Answer 1

The g force is maximum when the change in the car's velocity is maximum (Newton's 2nd law of motion). If the track has a loop at the bottom of a long slide, the maximum g force occurs when the car is speeding inside the loop. When the car's gravity is also considered, the car will experience max g at the top of the loop.

Answer 2

G-Forces on a roller coaster, or in any moving vehicle for that matter, are caused by changes in velocity due to acceleration, which is due to force.

Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the force applied to an object is equal to mass times acceleration. A consequence of this, which is also stated in his first law, is that an object having no force applied to it will either not move or, if already moving, will continue in a straight line with no change in velocity.

Now look at gravity. Any two objects will exert a force on each other that is proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their distances from each other. At the surface of the earth, gravity exerts a force that is, on average, equivalent to 9.8 m/s2 or 32 f/s2. That force is called one G. We also call it weight, not to be confused with mass. (In outer space, in stable orbit, an object has no weight, but it still has mass, and it still requires force to accelerate it.)

If you are standing on the earth, you feel a force of one G pulling you down. (You are also pulling on the earth with that same force but, because the earth is much more massive than you, it is considered to be unaffected by just you.) If you were to fall, you would accelerate at 9.8 m/s2, and you would feel no force. This would persist until the air resistance balances the force of gravity and/or you smash into the earth, whichever comes first.

If you were accelerated to one side or the other with a force of one G, you would feel that force, and it would feel the same as gravity. You would still feel the force of gravity pulling you down, so now you have two vectors of force applied to you, and the net force would be down at a 45 degree angle with a force of 1.4 G. (This is standard vector mathematics.)

With all that background information out of the way, now consider the roller coaster...

All you slowly rise to the first peak, you feel one G down. You are moving at a constant velocity, so there is no contribution from the roller coaster. (Remember - Newton's Laws - constant velocity means no force.)

As you fall past the first peak, you accelerate. You feel less force. The amount depends on the angle. (Again, this is straightforward vector mathematics. If you were to go straight down, you would feel no force, but Roller Coasters tend to not do that.) When you reach the first dip and start going back up, your velocity is traded for elevation and you decelerate. You feel a force pulling you down. The amount will be greater than one G, because you have one G of gravity, plus whatever force, or G's, the roller coaster is adding to you.

Roller coasters do not go in a straight line. They also go left and right. The same principles apply. The difference is that the horizontal vector component of force is due only to the acceleration applied to you, without the added G force due to gravity.

In addition to all of this, there is normal, or circular, acceleration. If you were to travel in a circle, there is force pulling you towards the center of the circle. Even though you might think there is no velocity change, this is a special case, because you are actually accelerating - you are constantly having your direction changed - and that requires force. You feel this force the same way you feel gravity or acceleration. (Some people call this centrifugal force, away from the center, but that is incorrect terminology - it is centripital force - towards the center - and what you think is centrifugal force is actually called centripital reaction force. This is Newton's Third Law - for every force there is an equal and opposite reaction force.)

All of this adds up in real time in a roller coaster to give you the experience of a constantly changing force in constantly changing directions. The designers of roller coaster go to great extremes to make sure that the net force does not exceed what you can tolerate, nor that the net force would actually make you rise out of your seat.

Answer 3

there is 3 G's maximum in a normal coaster or a free falling coaster can be 2-4 G's

Answer 4

Depends on its size and type, obviously. A large gondola may weigh a tonne unladen, but I'm only guessing.

Answer 5

gravity

friction

pull

push

acceleration

Answer 6

Positive G forces

Answer 7

gravity & friction.

Answer 8

gravity & friction.