Question

A 440 kg roller coaster car is going 26 m/s when it reaches the lowest point on the track. If the car started from rest at the top of a hill, how much higher was that point on the track than the lowest point? (Use g = 9.80 m/s2, and ignore friction.)

17 m
23 m
34 m
69 m

Answer 1

Use energy conservation: mgh = 1/2 m v^2, so h = v^2/(2g).

h = 26^2/(2·9.80) = 676/19.6 ≈ 34.5 m ≈ 34 m.

Answer: 34 m.