Question

The main loop on a roller coaster has a radius of 14 m. The velocity of the coaster stays constant at 15 m/s. Find the acceleration (caused by the normal force), experienced by the passengers at the following locations. Express the answers in terms of g.

a) The bottom of the roller coaster
b) The top of the roller coaster
c) Halfway up, as the roller coaster comes down

Answer 1

centripetal acceleration is given by \[ a=\frac{v^2}r\]this force will always act towards the center of the circle
acceleration due to gravity will always act downwards. consider how the accelerations will add or subtract from each other at each of the three positionshere are the centripetal accelerations...

Answer 2

and here are the gravitational accelerations:sum each pair of vectors vectorially for each point to find the total acceleration.