What part of the roller coaster has kinetic energy?

Answer 1

Mechanical Energy encompasses both Kinetic and Potential energies. A roller coaster is a perfect example of both. At the very top of a hill, the roller coaster has a lot of potential energy due to position above the earth. As it goes down a hill, this potential energy decreases as it gets closer to the earth, and it's kinetic energy increases as it gets faster.

KE = energy of motion

PE = potential energy due to position above the earth

ME = KE+PE

Answer 2

Kinetic Energy is the energy of motion. It is equal to mass times velocity squared. So KINETIC ENERGY = MASS x VELOCITY^2, where ^ indicates raise to a power.

Since for a given passenger load the mass does not change, the roller coaster reaches maximum kinetic energy when it reaches maximum velocity. For most designs, this will occur at the bottom of the longest drop.

Answer 3

The train of cars.

Answer 4

The cars (and the passengers in them).