Forces in a Roller Coaster Loop
Roller Coaster Loops are not circular.
However, it is possible to
construct a ride which only goes in a
circle.
The figure to the right is
taken from the patent
US6402624, describing an "amusement ride without hubs and spokes".
The train swings rocks back and forth until it has enough energy to go
over the top. If it obtains sufficient energy to make the riders
weightless on the top, what forces act on the rider at the bottom? To
the right or left?
- First: What speed is required to obtain weightlessness at the top
of a circle with radius, r?
- How much larger is the centripetal acceleration when the train is at
one of the sides?
- Which forces act on the rider in one of the side points?
(Neglect the length of the train as a first approximation!)
