Vertical Drop rides at amusement parks

[black_hole]

Homework Statement

Has anyone ever been on one of these. (I admit I have always been too chicken.) Can anyone explain to me what was felt at the bottom of the first drop and the physics why that was so. Also, estimate the time when the car began to slow down as a fraction of the total height.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[CanIExplore]

Are you asking us to do your homework for you? lol Why don't you tell us what you think someone feels if they are falling vertically at a very high speed then suddenly come to a stop, or change directions.

 

[black_hole]

Are you asking us to do your homework for you? lol Why don't you tell us what you think someone feels if they are falling vertically at a very high speed then suddenly come to a stop, or change directions.

This is part of a six flags packet I'm supposed to do (and we actually went to six flags to do it), but I don't very well see how to answer the question without actually having gone on the ride. The way I word the question has nothing to do with it. Can you help me or not?

 

[PhanthomJay]

You went to Six Flags and bypassed the 'loop the loop' coaster? You missed a treat. The coaster is shaped in such a way that at the bottom of the drop as you change direction, the 'G' forces acting on you are kept to a reasonable level to avoid any potential for blackouts. You might want to consider the Physics as to what causes these G forces. I don't recall feeling much of anything last time I rode it, it just made me feel heavier I guess, it happens so fast. Coming down is the worst part , being somewhat weightless on the descent with that 'stomach in your throat' feeling (that I believe the astronauts also get when in apparent weightlessness in orbit, a feeling that quickly goes away once they adjust to the zero G state). Then there's Disney's 'Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ' ride, pure free fall and then some, as the ride initially accelerates downward greater than the acceleration of gravity, causing you to be slightly lifted off your seat at the initial drop. Again the 'drop' is worse than the 'stop', which although abrupt, is nonetheless controlled to to prevent high forces from being imposed upon you.

 

[rdl]

Yes, I have been on a vertical drop ride at an amusement park before. It is definitely an exhilarating experience! At the bottom of the first drop, the feeling of weightlessness and stomach-dropping sensation is due to the change in acceleration. As the car reaches the top of the drop, it has potential energy due to its height. As it begins to drop, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, causing the car to accelerate downwards. This sudden increase in acceleration is what causes the feeling of weightlessness and stomach drop.

As for the physics behind it, this can be explained by Newton's laws of motion. The first law states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force. In this case, the external force is gravity pulling the car downwards. The second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that as the car drops, the force of gravity acting on it increases, causing it to accelerate downwards.

To estimate the time when the car begins to slow down, we can use the equation for acceleration: a = (vf - vi)/t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time. We know that at the top of the drop, the car has an initial velocity of 0 m/s. We can also estimate the final velocity by assuming that the car will come to a stop at the end of the ride. We can use the equation for potential energy: PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height. We can rearrange this equation to solve for the final velocity, vf = √(2gh).

Using this value for vf, we can plug it into the equation for acceleration and solve for t. This will give us an estimate of the time when the car begins to slow down. However, it is important to note that the actual time may vary depending on various factors such as air resistance and friction.

In conclusion, the feeling at the bottom of the first drop on a vertical ride is due to the change in acceleration and can be explained by Newton's laws of motion. The time when the car begins to slow down can be estimated using equations for acceleration and potential energy, but may vary in reality.