What direction does friction force act on a roller coaster at the top of a loop?

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SUMMARY

At the top of a roller coaster loop, the direction of travel is horizontal, tangent to the curve, specifically along the x-axis. The frictional force acts opposite to this direction of motion. As the coaster reaches the apex, it does not have a vertical component of velocity, confirming that the motion is purely horizontal at that point. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for analyzing forces acting on roller coasters.

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JimmyRay
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lol... sorry for posting again but now I am confused about frictional force on my roller coaster...

When an object reaches the top of the loop of a roller coaster, what direction is it traveling in? Friction force will be opposite of that direction... At the exact top of the roller coaster, the surface is not curved correct? It's straight, and so will the object be traveling straight up (y direction) or straight horzinatal (x direction) ...
 
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Your coaster is moving forward, tangent to the curve. In your case, either +x or -x, depending on how your coordinates are set up. There is no vertical component to your velocity on top, just horizontal ones...
 
thats right, thank you :)
 

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