Friction is the energy of an opposing force that allows the objects to speed up or even slow down.
There are three types of friction: rolling, sliding and fluid. Roller coasters mainly consists of rolling and sliding friction as they use wheels to go along the track (rolling friction) and magnets that slide through different points of the rollercoaster to slow down (sliding friction). Without friction, we would not be able to control the levels of speed that a normal rollercoaster can go up to, which can lead to problems. If a rollercoaster were to go too fast, then it could derail and lead to serious injuries, and if the rollercoaster were to go too slow, it would not provide the intense stimulation that people look for when riding a rollercoaster. Another force of friction is the direction that the object is going. Examples of this could be loops and turns that a rollercoasters usually have. Loops and turns are a great way to reduce friction as gravitational forces cause the speed to decrease. |