Answer to Question #74532 in Physics for Farid

Question

A simple roller coaster has one line of track on which the vehicle travels backward and forwards.
- the vehicle is pulled up the left side of the track and is then released
- it travels down the track speeding up as it moves
- it rises up the right side of the track slowing down as it moves upwards
- it rolls back down
- it moves backwards and forwards on the track several times, with each move becoming lower and lower the top speed becoming slower and slower

Use ideas of energy to explain the motion of the vehicle

Answer 1

The vehicle’s motion is the damping oscillations: from maximum amplitude with zero speed to zero amplitude with maximal speed. These maximums will be lower with every cycle because some part energy get lost on the work against the friction force.