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Acceleration in one, two, and three dimensions in launched roller coasters

Ann-Marie Pendrill

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During a roller coaster ride, the body experiences acceleration in three dimensions. An accelerometer can measure and provide a graph of the forces on the body during different parts of a ride. To couple the experience of the body to pictures of the ride and an analysis of data can contribute to a deeper understanding of Newton's laws. This article considers the physics of launched roller coasters. Measurements were performed with a three-dimensional co-moving accelerometer. An analysis is presented of the forces in the different ride elements of the Kanonen in Göteborg and the Speed Monster in Oslo, which both include loops and offer rich examples of force and acceleration in all dimensions.


PACS

45.20.da Forces and torques

01.50.-i Educational aids

45.20.dg Mechanical energy, work, and power

06.30.Gv Velocity, acceleration, and rotation

45.20.dc Rotational dynamics

Subjects

Mathematical physics

Instrumentation and measurement

Education and communication

Dates

Issue 5 (September 2008)

Received 2 January 2008, in final form 6 February 2008



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