Twists, Turns, and Thrills: Exploring the Science of Roller Coasters for Kids

By Virginia Grant

Each of these titles highlights the exciting mix of physics and engineering behind roller coasters while keeping it engaging for kids. Let me know if you want variations or other ideas!

• Language: English
• Publisher: SL Editions
• Release date: Feb 20, 2025
• ISBN: 9798348553302

Book preview

INTRODUCTION: WELCOME TO THE RIDE! WHAT MAKES ROLLER COASTERS SO EXCITING?

Roller coasters are loud, fast, and packed with twists, drops, and loops that make people scream with excitement. But what is it about them that makes them so thrilling? Some people love them, some are a little nervous, and others can’t get enough of the rush. The feeling of speeding down a track, the weightlessness at the top of a hill, and the force pushing against your body in a loop—it’s all part of what makes roller coasters exciting. The secret is science.

There’s a lot happening on a roller coaster that makes it feel different from almost anything else. Your body experiences changes in speed, direction, and pressure that you don’t feel in everyday life. Even though you’re safely strapped in, your brain senses movement in ways that can make it feel like you’re falling, floating, or being pushed from side to side. This isn’t magic—it’s physics at work.

One of the biggest reasons roller coasters feel so thrilling is acceleration. Acceleration is what happens when something speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. When a coaster car reaches the top of a hill and suddenly drops, your body wants to keep moving at the same speed it was going before. This is because of inertia, a concept explained by Newton’s First Law of Motion. Your seat and harness pull you along with the ride, but for a moment, it feels like you’re free-falling. That’s why your stomach flips. It’s not actually moving inside your body, but it feels like it is because everything is shifting so quickly.

Another part of the thrill comes from the forces acting on your body. When a coaster zooms up a hill, gravity pulls down, making you feel heavier. When it plunges down, you feel lighter because the coaster is accelerating faster than gravity’s pull. This is why, on some coasters, your seatbelt might be the only thing keeping you from floating out of your seat. That floating feeling is called weightlessness, and astronauts experience it in space. For a split second, your body is moving at the same speed as the coaster car, and gravity isn’t pressing you into your seat as strongly as it normally does.

Loops and tight turns add another layer of excitement. When a coaster rushes into a loop, it uses centripetal force to keep everything moving in a curved path. Even though it might feel like you’re upside down and hanging in midair, the force is actually pushing you into your seat. The shape of the loop is designed carefully to make sure you don’t experience too much force at once. If a loop were a perfect circle, it would be too intense. That’s why most loops are slightly oval-shaped, spreading the force out more evenly.

Even small details, like how the track is designed, can change the way a coaster feels. Sudden drops and sharp turns create an unpredictable experience, keeping riders on edge. Some coasters even have sections that twist riders sideways or make them feel like they’re tilting forward. The less time a rider has to prepare for what’s next, the more surprising—and thrilling—the ride becomes.

The speed of the ride also plays a huge role in the excitement. The faster a coaster moves, the stronger the forces acting on the body. High-speed coasters push riders back into their seats as they accelerate. When a coaster launches forward instead of climbing a hill first, it’s using a different kind of force to get going. Some roller coasters use magnets to create a powerful launch, sending riders from a standstill to extreme speeds in just seconds. The quick jump forward is what gives the feeling of being shot out of a cannon.

Beyond the physical sensations, there’s something else that makes roller coasters exciting: the anticipation. Climbing up the first big hill takes time. The chain pulling the coaster up makes a steady clicking sound, letting riders know that a big drop is coming. The higher the climb, the bigger the fall. The wait builds excitement, even for people who have ridden coasters many times before. That moment before the drop, when the coaster pauses just for a split second, is enough to make hearts race. Then, gravity takes over, and the car rushes down the track.

Even though roller coasters might seem unpredictable, every twist, turn, and drop is designed carefully to create just the right balance of fear and fun. Engineers calculate every detail, making sure that the speed, height, and angles of the track work together to deliver the best ride possible. The goal isn’t just to make the ride exciting but also to make it feel smooth and safe, even at high speeds.

People love roller coasters for different reasons. Some enjoy the adrenaline rush, the sudden speed changes, or the feeling of flying. Others like the challenge of conquering a new, scarier ride. No matter the reason, roller coasters continue to be one of the most popular attractions at amusement parks because they take normal physics and turn it into something extraordinary.

A Brief History of Roller Coasters

Roller coasters didn’t start as the high-speed, looping thrill rides found in amusement parks today. The idea of riding on a track for fun has been around for centuries, but early versions looked very different. Long before steel and wood were used to build massive coasters, people were sliding down ice-covered hills on wooden sleds. These sleds had no tracks, no seat belts, and definitely no safety harnesses. Instead, they relied on gravity and smooth ice to send riders racing to the bottom.

In the 1600s, Russia became one of the first places to build structures designed just for sliding. These were called Russian Mountains, and they were made by piling up snow and covering it with water so it would freeze into ice. Some were as tall as 70 feet, and riders would sit on wooden sleds with a bit of straw for cushioning. These early rides were popular, but there was no way to control speed or direction. Once a sled started moving, it went wherever gravity took it.

Over time, people found ways to make these ice slides smoother and safer. Wooden tracks were added to help guide the sleds, making the ride more predictable. Eventually, someone got the idea to replace ice with wheels. Instead of sliding, the carts could roll, and that changed everything.

By the 1800s, the idea of rolling along a track had made its way to coal mines in Pennsylvania. Miners used wooden tracks to move coal out of the mines more easily. When the carts were empty, miners would sometimes ride them back down for fun. These early track rides weren’t meant for amusement, but people quickly realized that racing down a track was exciting. It didn’t take long before some of these mining railways were turned into attractions.

One of the first roller coasters built just for entertainment was the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway in Pennsylvania. It opened in the 1870s and used gravity to send riders speeding downhill in a cart. There were no loops, no big drops, and no seat belts, but for people at the time, it was