Question

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After riders board the train, a vertical chain lift powered by an electric motor raises it to the top of first hill, after which the train is released and accelerates down the first hill. The coaster then passes over a loop, goes back to ground level, and lastly, up a hill. See the image below: 




Image 2: Rip Ride Rockit Track

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View the following to diagrams and complete the matching question below.



figure_2_coaster_8d0a6883-95b7-4408-a3ca-a4e34ea86b69



figure_3_coaster_909fc88a-d288-41cf-b94a-98149b8fd4b4



Using Figures 2 and 3, match the following time intervals with the correct descriptions:

0 - 20 seconds

The coaster briefly stops at the highest point and then accelerates down the hill as gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.

20 - 24 seconds

The coaster is being lifted up the first hill at a constant speed by the motor. Mechanical energy is being converted to gravitational potential energy.

24 - 26 seconds

The coaster completes the loop. When it reaches the bottom, all of its available energy is kinetic. It then travels up the final hill, losing speed as energy is converted from kinetic to gravitational potential.

26 - 29 seconds

The coaster slows down as it reaches the highest point in the loop. Approximately half of the energy is gravitational potential energy, and half is kinetic energy.

Answer 1

0–20 s: The coaster is being lifted up the first hill at a constant speed by the motor (mechanical energy → gravitational potential energy).

20–24 s: The coaster briefly stops at the highest point and then accelerates down the hill as gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.

24–26 s: The coaster slows as it reaches the highest point in the loop — roughly half the energy is gravitational potential and half is kinetic.

26–29 s: The coaster completes the loop; at the bottom it has (nearly) all kinetic energy, then it climbs the final hill, converting kinetic back into gravitational potential.