What Would a Constant-G Roller Coaster Loop Look Like?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of a constant-g roller coaster loop, specifically referencing section 3.2 of an article. It concludes that while a rider can experience 1 g throughout a partial loop, achieving this in a full circular loop is impossible due to the additional centrifugal and centripetal forces involved. The loop would require a tighter radius at the top to maintain 2 Gs, disregarding gravity, and would not return to the starting point due to velocity changes. The insights provided challenge the author's perspective on the feasibility of such a loop.

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curiousnoncat
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I was reading this interesting article on different varieties of roller coaster loops, and I know nothing about calculus or ODEs, but I was wondering what the constant-g loop in section 3.2 would actually look like for some typical initial velocity. Is it conceivably possible for a rider to experience 1 g throughout an entire loop in a 1 g environment? I would have to disagree with the author, then, because it would truly be an interesting sensation.
 
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If the loop is not complete (starts with an upwards section and ends with a downwards section), having a constant 1 g is possible. You cannot have a full circle, of course, as this would add centrifugal/centripetal acceleration with gravity, and give more than 1 g.
 
You would have to tighten the loop radius at the top so that there are 2 Gs, ignoring gravity. And you would have to take into account any velocity decrease going up and a corresponding increase going down. I think that the "loop" would not end where it began, but would be forward of the starting point. Without doing calculations, it seems possible to me.
 

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