A roller-coaster car of mass starts from rest at the top of the first hill
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A roller-coaster car of mass 350kg starts from rest at the top of the first hill, which is 25m above the station level. The car descends to a low point that is 4.0m above the station level and then climbs a second hill 18m high. Immediately after the second hill, magnetic brakes remove 1.5×104J of mechanical energy from the car. Neglect rolling friction and air resistance at all other locations.
(a) Determine the speed of the car at the lowest point of the track.
(b) Calculate the speed of the car at the top of the 18m hill before the brakes engage.
(c) After the brakes act, what is the maximum height above the station level that the car can climb on the next hill? Justify your answer with appropriate calculations.