In the summer of 1895, people flocked to Coney Island to witness a groundbreaking invention: the Flip Flap Railway. This was America’s first looping roller coaster, and while it was thrilling, it also caused many injuries like whiplash and neck problems. Fast forward to today, and roller coasters have become even more exciting, yet much safer.
At the heart of every roller coaster is gravity. Unlike cars or trains, roller coasters rely almost entirely on gravitational energy to move along their tracks. Once a coaster climbs the initial hill, it follows a carefully designed path, gaining potential energy when going up and converting it to kinetic energy when going down. This cycle repeats, creating a thrilling experience.
One crucial factor in roller coaster design is the effect on the human body. In the past, designers focused mainly on preventing coasters from getting stuck. However, they soon realized that gravity affects not just the coaster but also the passengers. This is where “G force” comes into play—a measure of gravitational force experienced by riders. While the human body can handle up to about 5 Gs, older coasters like the Flip Flap reached up to 12 Gs, causing issues like light-headedness and even blackouts.
Airtime, the sensation of being lifted from your seat, is both a thrill and a potential danger. Without proper restraints, riders could be ejected. Modern roller coasters use multiple belts and harnesses to keep passengers safe. Engineers carefully balance the forces to ensure that periods of intense pressure are followed by moments of relief, avoiding the extreme changes that caused injuries in the past.
Today’s roller coasters are designed with precision. Engineers use 3D modeling and simulation software to create rides that are both thrilling and safe. They consider the multiplied weight of passengers under high G-forces when designing the supports. For instance, at 5 Gs, a person weighing 100 lbs would exert a force of 500 lbs on the coaster.
While roller coasters aren’t for everyone, they continue to be a source of excitement for many. The adrenaline rush, light-headedness, and occasional motion sickness are part of the experience. Thanks to modern technology and a better understanding of human limits, today’s roller coasters are faster, taller, and more exhilarating than ever, all while keeping safety a top priority.
Using online simulation tools, design a roller coaster that balances thrill and safety. Consider factors like gravitational energy, G-forces, and airtime. Present your design to the class, explaining how you ensured both excitement and safety.
Create a simple model using a marble and a track to demonstrate the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. Observe how the marble gains speed as it descends and discuss how this relates to roller coaster physics.
Research the effects of G-forces on the human body. Create a presentation or infographic that explains how different levels of G-forces impact riders and how modern roller coasters are designed to manage these forces safely.
In groups, brainstorm and design a safety harness system for a hypothetical roller coaster. Consider the importance of restraints in preventing ejections during airtime. Present your design and explain how it addresses potential safety issues.
Research the history of roller coasters from the Flip Flap Railway to modern designs. Create a timeline that highlights key developments in technology and safety. Share your findings with the class, focusing on how these changes have improved the rider experience.
In the summer of 1895, crowds flooded the Coney Island boardwalk to see the latest marvel of roller coaster technology: the Flip Flap Railway. This was America’s first-ever looping coaster, but its thrilling flip came at a price. The ride caused numerous cases of severe whiplash, neck injuries, and even ejections, all due to its signature loop. Today, coasters can perform far more exciting tricks without the risk of a hospital visit.
But what exactly are roller coasters doing to your body, and how have they managed to become scarier and safer at the same time? At the center of every roller coaster design is gravity. Unlike cars or transit trains, most coasters are propelled around their tracks almost entirely by gravitational energy. After the coaster crests the initial lift hill, it begins an expertly engineered cycle—building potential energy on ascents and expending kinetic energy on descents. This rhythm repeats throughout the ride, acting out the coaster engineer’s choreographed dance of gravitational energy.
However, there’s a key variable in this cycle that wasn’t always carefully considered: you. In the days of the Flip-Flap, ride designers were primarily concerned with coasters getting stuck somewhere along the track. This led early builders to overcompensate, sending trains down hills and applying brakes when they reached the station. But as gravity affects the cars, it also affects the passengers. Under the intense conditions of a coaster, gravity’s effects are amplified.
There’s a common unit used by jet pilots, astronauts, and coaster designers called “G force.” One G force is the familiar tug of gravity you feel when standing on Earth. As riders accelerate and decelerate, they experience varying levels of gravitational force. Modern ride designers know that the body can handle up to roughly 5 Gs, but the Flip-Flap and its contemporaries routinely reached up to 12 Gs. At those levels of gravitational pressure, blood can be forced from the brain to the feet, leading to light-headedness or blackouts as the brain struggles to stay conscious. Oxygen deprivation in the retinal cells can impair their ability to process light, causing greyed-out vision or temporary blindness. If riders are upside down, blood can flood the skull, causing a phenomenon known as a “redout.” Conversely, negative Gs create weightlessness, which can contribute to motion sickness by affecting the fluid in the inner ears that coordinates balance.
The bigger potential danger—and thrill—comes from what ride designers call airtime. This is when riders typically experience seat separation, and without proper precautions, ejection can occur. The numerous belts and harnesses of modern coasters have largely addressed this issue, but the passenger’s ever-changing position can make it difficult to determine what needs to be secured. Fortunately, modern ride designers are well aware of what your body and the coaster can handle. Coaster engineers balance these competing forces to relieve periods of intense pressure with periods of no pressure at all.
Since a quick transition from positive to negative G-force can result in whiplash, headaches, and back and neck pain, they avoid the extreme changes in speed and direction that were common in older thrill rides. Modern rides are also much sturdier, closely considering the amount of gravity they need to withstand. At 5 Gs, your body feels five times heavier; so if you weigh 100 lbs, you’d exert the weight of 500 lbs on the coaster. Engineers must account for the multiplied weight of every passenger when designing a coaster’s supports.
Still, these rides aren’t for everyone. The floods of adrenaline, light-headedness, and motion sickness aren’t going anywhere soon. However, today’s redundant restraints, 3D modeling, and simulation software have made roller coasters safer and more thrilling than ever. Our precise knowledge about the limits of the human body has helped us build coasters that are faster, taller, and loopier—all without going off the rails.
Gravity – The force by which a planet or other celestial body attracts objects toward its center. – Gravity is responsible for keeping the planets in orbit around the sun.
Energy – The capacity to do work or produce change, often measured in joules or calories. – In physics, energy can be transformed from one form to another, such as potential energy converting to kinetic energy.
Forces – Influences that cause an object to undergo a change in speed, direction, or shape. – The forces acting on a bridge must be carefully calculated to ensure its stability and safety.
Safety – The condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury. – Engineers must prioritize safety when designing structures to withstand natural disasters.
Engineering – The application of scientific and mathematical principles to design and build structures, machines, and systems. – Civil engineering involves the construction of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and dams.
Coaster – A type of amusement ride that consists of a track with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. – The roller coaster uses gravitational potential energy at the top of the hill to accelerate downwards.
Potential – The stored energy in an object due to its position or state. – A rock perched at the edge of a cliff has potential energy due to its elevated position.
Kinetic – The energy an object possesses due to its motion. – As the roller coaster descends, its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.
Airtime – The sensation of weightlessness experienced when a ride rapidly descends or ascends. – Roller coasters are designed to maximize airtime to enhance the thrill for riders.
Design – The process of creating a plan or convention for constructing an object or system. – The design of a suspension bridge must account for the forces of tension and compression.
