What are the forces experienced on a roller coaster?

Roller coasters are thrilling and exhilarating fairground rides that offer an unforgettable experience for all participants. As you twist, turn, and zoom through loops and drops, your body is subjected to various forces that add to the excitement and adventure of the ride. Understanding these forces can help you appreciate the engineering behind these thrill and white knuckle rides and the sensations they always bring by the bucketload.

At We Are Tricycle, we bring the joy of roller coasters and other funfair rides to events across the UK, ensuring everyone gets a taste of the thrill. Find out about some of the forces that act on the rollercoaster carriage below, and contact us if you'd like any further information.

• Gravity (G-Force): Gravity is the force that pulls everything toward the centre of the Earth. On a roller coaster, you feel the sensation of being pressed into your seat when accelerating down a steep drop or when going through loops. This is due to the force of gravity acting on your body, creating what's known as positive G-forces.
• Inertia: Inertia is the tendency of an object to maintain its state of motion. When a roller coaster suddenly changes direction, your body wants to keep going in a straight line, resulting in lateral G-forces. These forces push you against the sides of the coaster and can make you feel as if you're being pulled to the outside of a curve.
• Centripetal Force: When a roller coaster goes around a curve, the centripetal force keeps it on the track and prevents it from flying off in a straight line. This force is directed toward the centre of the curve and causes riders to feel pushed to the side of the curve. People often think it is 'centrifugal force' that pushes them into their seats when they go around a loop, but this is also centripetal force - find out more about how rollercoasters don't fall out of loops here!
• Airtime: Also known as negative G-forces, airtime occurs when the rollercoaster carriage reaches the crest of a hill, and riders experience a brief moment of weightlessness. This creates the sensation of floating and is a favourite among thrill-seekers.
• Vertical G-Forces: Vertical G-forces are experienced when going through steep drops or vertical loops. These forces push riders into their seats and can create a feeling of intense weight on the body.
• Friction and Air Resistance: The rollercoaster gradually slows down after coasting to the top of the hill due to friction, including air resistance. The wheels running against the carriage and the air blowing against the carriage and through the rider's hair creates a drag on the rollercoaster, gradually slowing the carriageway down.
• Deceleration Forces: When a roller coaster comes to a stop, brakes are applied to slow it down gradually. The deceleration forces push riders forward in their seats, signalling the ride is over and it's time to queue up for another go!

At We Are Tricycle, our roller coasters and all of our fairground rides are designed with the utmost safety in mind. Each funfair ride and amusement is thoroughly inspected and maintained to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests.

Force your guests to have fun at your next event with our range of rollercoasters for hire! If you need more information about roller coasters, check out our rollercoaster guides and FAQs to see more.

The Same Roller Coaster Can Feel Different Throughout the Ride

A roller coaster does not produce one constant physical sensation from beginning to end. Changes in direction, speed and track geometry alter what passengers experience as the train moves around the course. Drops, curves, hills and inversions can therefore feel markedly different even though they form part of the same ride.

How Does a Roller Coaster Work? provides useful background on how the train, track and movement combine to create the overall ride experience.

Track Design Determines Where Different Sensations Occur

The shape of the track is fundamental to the way forces are experienced. Designers can use changes in height, direction and curvature to produce contrasting sensations at different points in the course rather than relying on speed alone.

This is one reason roller coasters can take so many forms. What Are the Different Types of Roller Coaster? looks at the different designs found within the wider roller coaster family.

Going Upside Down Is About More Than Gravity

Inversions are among the most visually obvious examples of roller coaster movement, but understanding them requires looking at the motion of the train and the shape of the track rather than imagining gravity acting in isolation.

How Do Rollercoasters Go Upside-Down Without Falling Off? examines this particular question in more detail and explains the principles involved when a coaster travels through an inversion.

Your Seat Can Change How a Roller Coaster Feels

Passengers on the same train do not necessarily experience every part of the course in exactly the same way. A long train enters and leaves hills, drops and other track elements progressively, so its position relative to those elements changes from the front to the rear.

What Is the Best Seat on a Roller Coaster? looks at why different seating positions appeal to different riders rather than treating one position as universally best.

Physical Sensation and Motion Sickness Are Not the Same Thing

Experiencing changing forces is an inherent part of many roller coasters, but individual responses to movement vary considerably. A ride that one passenger finds comfortable may affect another passenger differently.

How to Cope with Motion Sickness at the Fairground provides related visitor guidance. People should also pay attention to the instructions and restrictions provided for the particular attraction rather than relying solely on their experience of another coaster.

Ride Restrictions Form Part of the Passenger Safety System

The forces associated with a ride are one reason passenger suitability cannot be reduced to whether somebody personally feels confident enough to ride. Individual attractions can have requirements connected with their design, seating and restraint systems.

Why Do Some Funfair Rides Have Height Restrictions? explains why these restrictions exist, while Funfair Ride Health Restrictions and the Equality Act looks at the more complex relationship between ride requirements, individual circumstances and accessibility.

Roller Coaster Forces Sit Within a Wider Engineering System

The passenger experiences the movement, but that movement is produced by a complete engineered attraction involving the track, train and associated mechanical systems. Inspection, testing and maintenance therefore provide important context when reading about roller coaster physics.

How Funfair Rides Are Tested for Safety explains the wider testing framework, while Funfair Ride Periodic Maintenance looks at ongoing maintenance and Daily Safety Checks for Funfair Rides covers checks associated with day-to-day operation.

Follow the Physics into More Roller Coaster Guides

If the forces themselves have raised more questions about coaster movement, How to Stay Safe on Roller Coasters, Rollercoaster FAQs and What Is the History of the Roller Coaster? provide different routes into the subject.

You can also browse roller coasters, explore mini & children's roller coasters, continue through our Guides, or contact us about fairground attractions for an event.