How does a Roller Coaster work?

Ever wondered how roller coasters defy gravity and deliver those heart-pounding thrills without an engine? Let's unveil the scientific marvels and forces that bring these exhilarating funfair rides to life!

At the start of the roller coaster, a motorised chain pulls the carriage to the top of that thrilling first hill, making that iconic clanking noise as it goes. As the rollercoaster climbs higher and higher, the carriage stores up potential energy as it pulls against gravity.

Potential energy, also known as positional energy, represents the work the rollercoaster can do when it hurtles down the other side of the hill. And just like when you roll a ball down a slope, gravity takes over once the mechanised chain has finished its job.

As the rollercoaster reaches the crest of the hill, and passengers peer at the huge drop, the real excitement begins! With a constant acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared, the potential energy converts into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, and this propels the carriage through the fairground ride.

Enter inertia, one of Sir Isaac Newton's laws of physics. This law ensures that an object in motion remains in motion until an equal but opposite force intervenes. Thanks to inertia, the kinetic energy built from the fall down the first hill keeps the carriage in motion.

During the thrilling loops, curves, and hills, the rollercoaster carriage encounters friction and air resistance that gradually sap the kinetic energy. Friction generates heat as the rollercoaster wheels interact with the rails, slowing it down, while air resistance blows riders' hair back as they zoom down the track.

The wild ride of the roller coaster also puts a variety of forces on the riders. As you experience loop-the-loops and sharp curves, special forces of acceleration push your body in different directions, creating that exhilarating "rush" that leaves you breathless and wanting more. That fleeting moment of weightlessness at the top of a loop-the-loop is a battle between gravity pulling you down and inertia pulling you towards the top.

If you need more information on roller coasters, check out our Roller Coaster FAQs, or visit our contact us page to see how to speak with us.