The roller
coaster has been one of the favorites of millions of people
going to amusement parks worldwide for over one hundred
years. The roller coaster has taken many shapes and sizes,
from original wooden coasters which go up and down to the
modern steel structures that not only take the riders up and
down, but also side to side and even upside down.
While the
origins of the roller coaster date back to the 1700's with
Russian ice slides, the first roller coaster in the United
States was patented by LaMarcus Thompson in 1885, as the
Switchback Railway, which opened in Coney Island. The
original concept by Thompson was very simple where
passengers rode a car down about 600 feet of track, where
they would switch tracks for the return trip back to the
top. It was not the exciting, thrilling roller coasters that
we know today, but it planted the seed for further
development.
Many
elementary scientific concepts play an important role in how
roller coasters work. While getting a roller coaster started
relies on a system of chains and pulleys to reach the top of
the ride. Once the ride starts its downward descent the
scientific forces of gravity, inertia and centripetal force
comes into effect.
The force
of gravity takes the coaster on its downward path without
the aid of any mechanical assistance. Keeping the coaster on
the track when turning is due to the concept of centripetal
force. And, finally when the energy is expended and the
coaster stops, the concept of inertia would be the reason.
Roller
coasters have been around for over one hundred years and
have utilized scientific elements to evolve into the modern
wonders of today. Using the information that science gives
us, creators of modern roller coasters make them go faster,
with more thrilling turns, twists and loops. The roller
coaster of today is a perfect combination of the use of
science and technology, which creates thrills for all roller
coaster enthusiasts.
To help
explain the workings of roller coasters, past and present,
we have gathered a collection of resources. Hopefully, these
resources will give all readers a better understanding of
the science involved in how a roller coaster works:
