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Rollercoaster Problems definitions

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  • Centripetal Force
    The force required to keep an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle.
  • Normal Force
    The force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it, acting perpendicular to the surface.
  • Centripetal Acceleration
    The acceleration of an object moving in a circle, directed towards the center of the circle.
  • Potential Energy
    The energy possessed by an object due to its position relative to a reference point, often related to height.
  • Kinetic Energy
    The energy an object possesses due to its motion, calculated as 1/2 times mass times velocity squared.
  • Energy Conservation
    A principle stating that the total energy in an isolated system remains constant over time.
  • Radius
    The distance from the center of a circle to any point on its circumference.
  • Velocity
    The speed of an object in a particular direction.
  • Height
    The vertical distance of an object from a reference point, often the ground.
  • Loop
    A circular path or section of a roller coaster track.
  • Mass
    A measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically in kilograms.
  • Gravity
    The force that attracts a body towards the center of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.
  • Non-conservative Forces
    Forces that cause energy to be lost from a system, such as friction or air resistance.
  • Initial Speed
    The speed of an object at the beginning of a time interval.
  • Final Speed
    The speed of an object at the end of a time interval.