Question

A roller coaster car of mass 900 kg when released from rest at point A (height h above the ground) slides along the track and inside the loop of radius 15.0 m. The car never loses contact with the track.

1. Draw below a free body diagram for the car at the bottom of the loop. If the speed of the car at the bottom of the loop (point B) is 25 m/s, what is the normal force at that point?
2. What would be the maximum height of release of the car, if the speed at the top of the loop is not to exceed 16 m/s and the amount of thermal energy produced by friction from the point of release to the top of the loop should not exceed 10% of the mechanical energy at the point of release?

Answer 1