A roller coaster at the Six Flags Great America amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois, incorporates some clever design technology and some basic physics. Each vertical loop, instead of being circular, is shaped like a teardrop. The cars ride on the inside of the loop at the top, and the speeds are fast enough to ensure that the cars remain on track. The biggest loop is 40.0m high. Suppose the speed at the top is 14.4m/s and the corresponding centripetal acceleration is 2g. (a) What is the radius of the arc of the teardrop at the top? (b)If the total mass of a car plus the riders is M, what force does the rail exert on the car at the top? (c) Suppose the roller coaster had a circular loop of radius 21.4 m. If the cars have the same speed, 14.4 m.s at the top, what is the centipetal acceleration at the top?

Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and Connections
1st Edition
ISBN:9781133939146
Author:Katz, Debora M.
Publisher:Katz, Debora M.
Chapter4: Two-and-three Dimensional Motion
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 36PQ: In three different driving tests, a car moves with constant speed v0. In case 1, the car passes over...
icon
Related questions
icon
Concept explainers
Topic Video
Question

A roller coaster at the Six Flags Great America amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois, incorporates some clever design technology and some basic physics. Each vertical loop, instead of being circular, is shaped like a teardrop. The cars ride on the inside of the loop at the top, and the speeds are fast enough to ensure that the cars remain on track. The biggest loop is 40.0m high. Suppose the speed at the top is 14.4m/s and the corresponding centripetal acceleration is 2g.
(a) What is the radius of the arc of the teardrop at the top?
(b)If the total mass of a car plus the riders is M, what force does the rail exert on the car at the top?
(c) Suppose the roller coaster had a circular loop of radius 21.4 m. If the cars have the same speed, 14.4 m.s at the top, what is the centipetal acceleration at the top?

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 4 steps with 3 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Displacement, velocity and acceleration
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations…
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations…
Physics
ISBN:
9781133939146
Author:
Katz, Debora M.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
Physics
ISBN:
9781133104261
Author:
Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:
Cengage Learning