Engineered To Thrill: The Science Behind Rollercoasters

In Hucknall, Nottinghamshire we go past a theme park testing facility, a local told us. Here, they test exciting rides to see if they are safe before they are shipped all across the world. These, of course, are the latest rides available and I’m sure they will thrill and excite even more than they used to.

In 15th century Russia, people would slide down wooden slopes covered in ice. Fast forward four centuries, this sort of entertainment was found in Paris, but with some simple modifications, like adding wheels. Later on, in the 19th century, there was machinery in place that would pull the cars to the top of the track. The first ever modern rollercoaster was revealed to the public in 1884 in the US. Although this only went up to speeds of 6mph, it still entertained people.

The revolution in rollercoaster history happened when people decided to use metal instead of wood. Steel, the metal they used, is more aerodynamic, is stronger, and can cope with much faster and more forceful movements than wood. It can also withstand hotter temperatures than wood, which is essential because objects moving fast tend to get hotter.

Despite being more flashy, modern designs of rollercoasters rely on the same laws of physics as the first icy hills did. A motor uses energy to pull the riders up one hill, slightly defying gravity, which gives the rollercoaster car a certain amount of stored energy. Then, as gravity pulls it downwards, this stored energy is released as kinetic energy. Engineers can track how much energy is stored so it will vary the speed of the ride.

Have you ever noticed a certain feeling in your tum-tum as you ride a rollercoaster? This is because there are different forces, known as G-forces, that work when you ride one. You feel these in your body, especially your tummy.

G-force stands for ‘gravitational force equivalent’ and is a way of measuring the forces acting on an object that is pushed by Earth’s gravity. Even though you cannot feel it, you experience 1G when you are standing still. When your speed and direction changes, that’s when you start to feel it.

There are a lot of crazy fictional rollercoaster designs. Now,  create your own ride by using the listed parts or start from scratch.

• Most rides have banked turns. These turn the direction the reader is leaning to help solve motion sickness and control the G-forces.
• Like in all the crazy films, some rollercoasters have loop-the-loops. These turn riders upside-down, but a lot of people would prefer not to.
• Some rides suddenly pause at the peak of a hill to build up suspense and give riders a second to recover.
• Pauses are usually followed be a sudden drop. A long fall accelerates the car and increases G-forces.
• Usually at the start of the ride, most rides include an almost vertical hill that you go up. This excites riders and makes them like the ride more.

Not everyone enjoys rollercoasters. Some rides are so extreme that you feel like you might die. However, as you might be able to guess, you probably WON’T die. How likely you are to ride something risky relies on what you inherit from your parents. It may even come from our early ancestors, who need a lot more skills and risks to live in the wild.

The reason why some people like being scared is all down to a chemical called dopamine, which helps send signals around the brain. Dopamine allows humans to focus on rewards and so it makes you know that it’ll be good, thus you want to do it. It also helps people feel pleasure after doing something fun, like riding a rollercoaster. However, one in 30 people in the U.K.  can’t process dopamine properly, and so you feel scared more.

Newer rollercoasters no longer rely on gravity to push them forward, but instead catapult into motion. The Formula Rossa ride in Abu Dhabi pushes cars forward with a giant hydraulic piston, reaching speeds of 149mph in less than five seconds. Potentially even better than the ‘push’ system that uses magnets Ona rail and the car to speed the coaster into action, these systems are also used to launch jet planes.

People can already witness futuristic rollercoaster rides thanks to virtual reality, or VR for short. VR headsets can simulate any scene or environment when you put them on, mixing real feelings with reality.

VR can also come with an augmented reality mode. This means it places fictional characters, props or information onto a real-life background.

So whether so like rollercoasters or not, you can certainly impress your friends and family with your new information on rollercoasters. So use it, don’t just stand there!