How Roller Coaster Work

What causes a roller coaster car to slow down as it climbs up a hill?

• Kinetic energy is becoming stronger as the car starts to go up.

• Kinetic energy is building up as the car starts to go up.

• Gravity pulls with a downward force on the back of the car.

• Gravity pulls the front of the car up the hill at a steady pace.

What effect does friction have on the roller coaster's ride?

• Friction works together with inertia to keep the forward motion of the roller coaster going.

• Friction works together with inertia to slowly stop the forward motion of the roller coaster

• Friction causes the roller coaster to gain more energy than it had at the first hill.

• Friction causes the roller coaster to lose the energy that it had built up from the first hill.

Read the following selection from the section "Objects In Motion."

That speed overcomes the force of gravity and carries the car up the next hill. As it climbs up, the car's kinetic energy changes back to potential energy. That potential energy becomes kinetic energy again when the car goes down the hill. In this way, the course of the track is constantly converting energy. The energy goes from kinetic to potential and back again.

Which word from the selection helps the reader understand the meaning of "converting"?

• overcomes

• force

• carries

• changes

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Read the following selection from the introduction [paragraphs 1-2].

"Roller coasters are driven almost entirely by basic forces. They include inertia and gravity. These forces are manipulated in the service of a great ride."

What is the meaning of the word "manipulated" as it is used in the selection above?

• deceived

• controlled

• distorted

• created

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4