Chapter 6, Problem 15CQ

Variation in your apparent weight is desirable when you ride a roller coaster; it makes the ride fun. However, too much variation over a short period of time can be painful. For this reason, the loops of real roller coasters are not simply circles like Figure 6.16a. A typical loop is shown in Figure Q6.15. The radius of the circle that matches the track at the top of the loop is much smaller than that of a matching circle at other places on the track. Explain why this shape gives a more comfortable ride than a circular loop.

Figure Q6.15