Both mass and initial velocity effect the roller coaster in so far as that they increase the overall mechanical energy of the coaster, but they do so in different ways. Increasing the mass applies a linear increase to mechanical energy and mechanical that really has very little bearing on the actual performance of the roller coaster, as it will result in about the same velocity regardless at any given point on the coaster. It will, however, increase the force of friction via increasing the gravitational forces, and therefore the normal forces, acting on the cart. Increasing velocity has an exponential effect on the carts kinetic energy and by increasing it one would increase the velocity of the cart at every other point on the roller coaster. This has inherent risk, as if the cart is going too fast at the crest of hills or too slow at the top of a loop the cart will derail. …show more content…
If the environment has high frictional forces then an increase to the total mechanical energy at the start of the roller coaster must be designed in for the same course on a lower friction track, and it specifically can not come from an increase in mass. Conversely in a low friction environment less mechanical energy is needed at the start to over come the loss of energy caused by the outside force of friction. Firstly roller coasters on the moon simply move slower. A smaller the gravitation force leads to a smaller total potential energy pool for the cart to convert into kinetic energy which, in turn, leads to an overall reduction of speed max speeds. This max speed also can't easily be replaced as the inherent risk of increasing the initial velocity of the cart, which is the risk of it derailing at a hill crest, in increased greatly by the lowered gravity. It also lowers the total effect friction will have on the system due to a reduction of normal forces acting on the cart as it rolls along the