Roller Coaster Elements - Basics
Roller Coaster Elements - Inversions
YOU NEED TO COMPLETE
5 roller coaster elements for an APS
10 roller coaster elements for an MPS
10 elements and 5 Inversions for a BPS
10 elements and 10 inversions for an EPS
Roller Coaster Elements - Inversions
YOU NEED TO COMPLETE
5 roller coaster elements for an APS
10 roller coaster elements for an MPS
10 elements and 5 Inversions for a BPS
10 elements and 10 inversions for an EPS
6) ROLLER COASTER ELEMENTS
1) Building Background: ENERGY
Types of Energy
Potential Energy
Potential energy is the energy an object has due to its position. It's the force that a body could potentially develop if it were put into motion. Potential energy is not the energy of movement. Instead, it is the energy stored in a body due to its physical properties, such as the mass or position of the object. Gravitational potential energy is the best example of potential energy. Imagine throwing a basketball high up in the air. The trajectory of the ball is simple: it goes up, it reaches its highest point, stays there for a moment, and then starts falling back down. At its highest point, the ball has maximum potential energy. At a point in time where it does not move (however brief that moment may be), it has no kinetic energy. When an object is exposed to gravitational force, its potential energy increases. There are different forms of potential energy, such as elastic potential energy, gravitational potential energy, electric (electromagnetic) potential energy, and nuclear potential energy. |
Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is the mechanical energy of movement or energy of motion, rather than position. The faster the movement, the higher the kinetic energy. The top speed that a body could develop while moving is the highest kinetic energy of that body.
Let’s go back to our basketball example: the ball goes up, reaches its highest point, and falls back down. In the first phase, as the ball goes up, it loses its speed due to gravity, so its kinetic energy reduces. As it falls back down, it gains momentum and as its speed increases, its kinetic energy increases. The very moment it hits the ground, its kinetic energy is at its maximum before it turns to zero (assuming it does not bounce back).
Mechanical Energy
Mechanical energy is the energy a body has due to its movement or position. A good example would be the energy that is released while falling from a certain position. Mechanical energy is one of the basics studied in mechanical engineering, as it is literally the driving force of the world around us, be it natural or man-made. Mechanical energy is expressed in joules.
There are two types of mechanical energy: potential energy and kinetic energy. Combined, the sum of the two is called the total mechanical energy.
Kinetic energy is the mechanical energy of movement or energy of motion, rather than position. The faster the movement, the higher the kinetic energy. The top speed that a body could develop while moving is the highest kinetic energy of that body.
Let’s go back to our basketball example: the ball goes up, reaches its highest point, and falls back down. In the first phase, as the ball goes up, it loses its speed due to gravity, so its kinetic energy reduces. As it falls back down, it gains momentum and as its speed increases, its kinetic energy increases. The very moment it hits the ground, its kinetic energy is at its maximum before it turns to zero (assuming it does not bounce back).
Mechanical Energy
Mechanical energy is the energy a body has due to its movement or position. A good example would be the energy that is released while falling from a certain position. Mechanical energy is one of the basics studied in mechanical engineering, as it is literally the driving force of the world around us, be it natural or man-made. Mechanical energy is expressed in joules.
There are two types of mechanical energy: potential energy and kinetic energy. Combined, the sum of the two is called the total mechanical energy.
Potential Energy vs. Kinetic Energy
Potential energy and kinetic energy are both different types of mechanical energy. While the potential energy of an object depends on the position of the object, kinetic energy is the energy of motion for that same object. The potential energy of the object is equal to the amount of work that needs to be done, or the amount of work that the object can do, to move the object to a certain position. A parachuter jumping out of a plane has maximum potential energy the moment they jump out of the plane. This energy is quickly converted into kinetic energy as they start falling down. While the kinetic energy increases as they fall down, the potential energy decreases. In an imaginary scenario where they do not open the parachute, they would reach the maximum kinetic energy on impact, while the potential energy would be equal to 0. To prevent this from happening, they open the parachute. Air resistance and parachute friction allows for a gentle landing and prevents injuries. |
EXPLANATION OF SKYDIVING PHYSICS: https://ssec.si.edu/science-of-skydiving
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ROLLER COASTER INTRODUCTION
3) ROLLER COASTER BASICS
ROLLER COASTER PHYSICS GLOSSARY
4) ROLLER COASTER HISTORY
5) 3 BULLETS OF ROLLER COASTERS
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