Energy conservation on a roller coaster

[Yaqout]

Assuming the roller coaster is towed to the top of the hill on the left-hand side of the diagram and released. How would the conservation of energy work. I know that at the top of the first hill there would be P.E. and as it gradually rolls down the K.E. takes over. But how about as it progresses up and down the track. I'd like to know how can it keep conserving energy throughout the whole ride.[?]

To see the diagram talked about click the following:
http://www.geocities.com/h_mussa77/rollercoaster.gif

 

[HallsofIvy]

That is, by the way, as long as the car is rolling freely. Of course, on a real roller coaster, work is done to raise the car up to the top which adds energy and there is some friction which subtracts energy.

 

[M98Ranger]

The conservation of energy principle states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transferred from one form to another. In the case of a roller coaster, the potential energy (PE) at the top of the first hill is converted into kinetic energy (KE) as the roller coaster moves down the track. As it goes up and down subsequent hills, the KE is converted back into PE and vice versa.

At the bottom of each hill, the roller coaster has the most KE and the least PE, while at the top of each hill, it has the most PE and the least KE. This is because the roller coaster is moving the fastest at the bottom of the hill and the slowest at the top. However, the total energy of the roller coaster remains constant throughout the ride.

This is possible because the roller coaster is designed to minimize energy losses, such as friction and air resistance. The track is smooth and the wheels of the roller coaster are designed to reduce friction, allowing the roller coaster to maintain its speed and conserve its energy.

As the roller coaster goes through loops and curves, it also experiences changes in direction, which require energy to maintain. This energy is provided by the initial potential energy at the top of the first hill. As long as the roller coaster has enough initial PE, it will be able to complete the entire ride without any external energy input.

In summary, the conservation of energy principle allows a roller coaster to continuously convert between potential and kinetic energy, maintaining its speed and momentum throughout the entire ride. This is made possible by minimizing energy losses and ensuring that the roller coaster has enough initial energy to complete the ride.