Roller Coaster: Acceleration Flashcard

Front

What is Positive Acceleration?

Back

Positive acceleration occurs when an object speeds up, increasing its velocity over time.

Front

What is Negative Acceleration?

Back

Negative acceleration, also known as deceleration, occurs when an object slows down, decreasing its velocity over time.

Front

What is Centripetal Acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle.

Front

What happens to acceleration when you go down a hill on a roller coaster?

Back

You experience positive acceleration as your speed increases.

Front

What happens to acceleration when you go up a hill on a roller coaster?

Back

You experience negative acceleration as your speed decreases.

Front

What type of acceleration do you experience when changing directions on a roller coaster?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is experienced when changing directions.

Front

How does gravity affect roller coaster acceleration?

Back

Gravity pulls the coaster downwards, contributing to positive acceleration when going downhill.

Front

What is the role of friction in roller coaster acceleration?

Back

Friction opposes motion, causing negative acceleration and slowing the roller coaster down.

Front

What is the formula for calculating acceleration?

Back

Acceleration (a) = (Final Velocity (v) - Initial Velocity (u)) / Time (t).

Front

What is the effect of mass on acceleration in roller coasters?

Back

In a frictionless environment, mass does not affect acceleration; all objects accelerate at the same rate due to gravity.