Amusement Park Physics With a NASA Twist - Space Flight Systems ...

NASA Connection—Roller Coasters—Loops
Loop roller coasters may seem scary to riders. They may think
that they could fall out as the car goes around the loop.
However, in reality, when the rider travels in a loop fast
enough, it creates a sensation that there is a force pushing
him or her into the seat, especially entering and exiting the
loop. The sensation that the riders have is one of high g. The
force they experience comes from the track (or whatever
holds the car into the loop). The track pushes in on the car
and riders, while the car and their bodies continue to travel in
a straight line. This creates the increased force acting on the
car and the riders. This is very different than approaching and
going over the top of a hill on a traditional roller coaster,
where the rider experiences weightlessness. No wonder
many people have a headache by the end of the day!
The Raptor is located at Cedar Point in
Sandusky, Ohio.
If riders feel weighted down in their seats in a loop-de-loop,
imagine flying in a high-speed aircraft. A coaster car in a loop
will probably not exceed 3 g, similarly the KC–135 pulls 2 to
3 g as it heads back upward after a 45° descent when flying
parabolas. Sometimes the KC–135 flies in banked curves for
extended periods of time so researchers can study the effects
of high g on experiments. Military aircraft can pull up to 10 g,
but the pilots must wear special pressure suits to keep them
from blacking out.
The Mantis provides thrills to riders at
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
A KC–135 jet aircraft.
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Amusement Park Physics With a NASA Twist
EG–2003–03–010–GRC