Normal force acting on an loop?

AI Thread Summary
The normal force acting on a roller coaster at the top of a loop is not always zero; it is zero only when the coaster is just about to fall, meaning it has barely made it through the loop. At other points in the loop, the normal force will vary depending on the coaster's speed and the gravitational force acting on it. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding the dynamics of forces in circular motion. Overall, the normal force is a critical factor in analyzing roller coaster physics.
slammer
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Im trying to find the normal force that acts on an roller coaster when going aruond a loop. when the roller coaster is at the top the Fn is always 0 right? And is that the only time its 0?
 
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slammer said:
Im trying to find the normal force that acts on an roller coaster when going aruond a loop. when the roller coaster is at the top the Fn is always 0 right? And is that the only time its 0?

Np. it is not necessarily equal to zero! It's zero only if it is just about to fall (or, in other words, if it barely made it through th eloop)
 

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